Isekai
by uchiha.s
Summary: Sakura wakes up to find herself stranded in a parallel universe, armed with nothing except for Sasuke and a wedding ring. Somewhat AU.
1. Prologue

Isekai

Summary: Sakura wakes up to find herself stranded in a parallel universe, armed with nothing except for Sasuke and...an irreversible marriage contract?

Author's note: Yeah, tons of other stories to finish, and here I am, starting a new one. Poor form, I know. PLEASE REVIEW.

A man with wild, wind-blown hair crept along the ledge, back pressed against the crumbling wall, his gun pointed at his target. His breath was shallow and ragged; his throat was parched and his muscles burned of exhaustion. His partner, teammate, and wife looked at him, her luminous green eyes reflecting all of the emotions that he too felt. They lifted their rifles and nodded, each pulling the trigger in perfect unity. This was what they had been working towards, and to have finally reached their goal was both shocking and beautiful--

There was a burst of light, and then suddenly, everything was gone.

–

The oddest thing about that morning was the familiarity of it all. The beeping of monitors, doctors and nurses' urgent yells across the halls, the squeaking of gurneys, the moans of patients—Sakura could have almost believed that she had just taken a nap at the hospital. Until she realized the one in the gurney was her.

She lifted her pink head, blinking frantically as the nurse pushing her stretcher began announcing her awakening.

"She's awake! Sakura-sama's awake!"

Too weak to hold her head up, Sakura flopped back down on the pillow, watching unfamiliar lights and faces move past as she was wheeled along. What had happened? She hadn't been on a mission—the last thing she remembered was going to sleep in her bed after a late night at the hospital. Unless, of course, she had amnesia.

"You and Sasuke-sama are the heroes of our time, Sakura-sama. You've finally accomplished peace," a pretty blond nurse said soothingly as she jogged alongside, looking down at Sakura's face. Sakura choked, her eyes wide.

_Sasuke? Peace? What!?_

"I know, it's a lot to take in. Don't worry, we'll have you good as new in no time. Just rest," she said. But Sakura couldn't rest. Not after what she had just heard.

"S-sasuke?!" To even utter his name felt strange, like cursing for the first time. It was a long practised name; her mouth knew how to form the sounds but had deliberately not done so in so long. The nurse smiled sympathetically as they made it to the operating room, thinking she understood what Sakura was currently feeling—but she couldn't have been more off-target. Sakura felt someone injecting what she assumed to be anesthesia into her as the nurse spoke in her honey-smooth voice.

"He's fine, you'll see him soon..."

And just as she had expected, the anesthesia pulled the darkness around her, enveloping her like a dark and irresistible blanket.

–

There was beeping. Lots of it, and as he slowly came to, it sped up considerably. But it was so bright...he lifted an arm to shield his eyes and found it weighed down with tubes and bandages and needles. He looked down at his hands to see them scarred and bruised, like the rest of his body. Dried blood had caked under his short fingernails and around the cuticles. He looked away in disgust, just as a shadow appeared above, directly in front of the light source and remaining silhouetted.

"Sasuke-sama is awake! He's awake!" The silhouette's head turned to say to new additions to the population of the room. His head quickly whipped back to Sasuke. "How are you feeling, sir?"

Sasuke shifted slightly, his eyes slowly adjusting to the extreme brightness of the room, and realized that there were several people in the room. It was a hospital room, judging by the pungent scent of sterilizers and the medical devices. The people appeared to be nurses. They were all bowing to him reverently, some crying softly. It was one of the most confusing sights Sasuke had ever seen.

"You and your wife have exhibited an incredible show of bravery and selflessness, Sasuke-sama," one of the nurses said, tears of happiness streaming down his face. Sasuke's brain snagged on part of the sentence, and he blinked in shock.

"My _wife_?"

The nurses looked between each other for a moment before seemingly deciding something amongst themselves. A woman came forth, wearing lavender scrubs. She tentatively placed a small hand on Sasuke's arm, but Sasuke flinched and she removed her hand.

"Sakura-sama is still recovering from the surgery. The bullet was lodged in pretty deep, and she lost a lot of blood, but now she's fine," she said, finally smiling. "you don't need to worry about her at all."

Sasuke looked away, trying to comprehend the situation, piecing together what they were saying. The realization of the meaning of all of this caused him to tremble slightly.

_Sakura is my wife? …Where the _hell_ am I?_

They all were staring at him, beaming with happiness, adoration, and respect for him, and Sasuke was only used to such gazes from adolescent girls.

"...Where--"

"This is the hospital in Gaulin."

It had to be a dream. It had to be. Sasuke settled back into his bed, his entire body throbbing with the many needles and tubes and bandages. Once again, he surveyed his limbs. God, what had he gotten himself into _this_ time? He'd never been this badly banged up before.

The silence ellicited a cough from one of the nurses, reminding Sasuke of their presence.

"Please leave," he said harshly to them, shocking everyone enough to scurry out of the hospital room like little mice. The door shut loudly, and then there was silence.


	2. 1: Wedding Bell Blues

Isekai

Author's Note: Sorry this took awhile to come out with. Thank you all SO much for the lovely reviews; I treasure each one! Please keep reading, because the plot is going to pick up soon, and in this chapter some more characters are introduced. I hope you guys enjoy! Please keep reviewing; it keeps me going in terms of writing chapters.

Chapter One: Wedding Bell Blues

Sasuke was still in a considerable state of panic when the door to his room was opened again, much to his displeasure. Assuming it was just another obnoxious nurse asking for his autograph, he prepared to snap at them until they removed themselves from his room--but then Sakura appeared in a wheelchair in his doorway, and all words were banished from his mind.

"Now, just an hour, you two, got it? Make the most of it," the nurse said, winking before she gently shut the door, leaving Sakura next to the table with the myriad flowers Sasuke had received, her IV next to her. For some reason, he could not bring himself to make eye contact with her. Suddenly, the once comforting silence of the room now seemed incredibly pervasive.

The squeaking of the wheelchair proved to be Sakura edging somewhat closer to the bed. Finally, Sasuke raised his eyes to look at her.

She'd grown, mostly in the way her eyes no longer were brimming with the youthful naivete that had once infuriated him. No, now she looked on him with something that he recognized—and the fact that he recognized it so well hit him like a swift punch to the solarplexus—pure hatred. Her eyes were green with vitriol, and she had absolutely no intention of hiding it.

"I did some research," she spoke coolly, looking out the window. "we're in a country called Gaulin now. It's our home country. We're instructors at a sort of military academy, but we also are frequently sent out on missions, such as the one we're recovering from. We're married and known around the world here for our accomplishments."

Sasuke absorbed the information. Most of it he had gleaned already, but hearing it from Sakura proved that they both had been somehow taken here.

"Until we figure out what the hell happened here," she continued, now settling her gaze on him, "I think we should play along." The idea made Sasuke scoff.

"So you can finally have a chance to act out your dream of being married to me," he said, his lips curling into a sneer. Sakura didn't bat an eyelash.

"No, so that the people here don't have to have their 'hero' ruined for them by finding out what kind of pathetic coward you truly are," she retorted.

"Still the bitter and lonely bitch you always were," Sasuke commented, hoping it would sting her, even a little. If it did, Sakura did not show it. Sasuke was beginning to keenly sense his loss of the upper hand in their dynamic.

"We have to live together, work together, probably sleep together, and be seen out together, so I suggest we try to at least act civil before one of us ends up dead," she said simply. "I want to get out of this just as much as you do, but acting like a spoiled brat isn't going to help us."

It was so, _so_ difficult not to hit her, but the windows to the halls were big, and anyone could happen to walk by just as he did so.

"Fine," he said finally.

Another long and uncomfortable silence passed between them. He had the urge to be angry at her, to blame her, but it was beginning to be quite obvious that this was not what she wanted, either. He stared down at his bandaged limbs and considered what he had lost—his platoon was on its way to Konoha to destroy it, and he, their leader, was not present. Would they still go ahead with the mission? And if they waited, would he get back in time for it to still work? Would he return at all? It seemed that everything had been ruined. There was no feasible way to fix the situation. They were damned if the platoon did go ahead with the mission, and damned if they didn't.

"You know," Sakura spoke softly, her eyes slightly misty, "Naruto saved the village. He did it all by himself. And when he came back, everyone was waiting for him to congratulate him. He's a hero now," she whispered. She raised her eyes to him. "More than you will ever be," she added.

Something inside of Sasuke snapped: whatever will he had had left on reserve to not brutally wound her was gone. But if he did kill her, he'd have to do this alone. There was something distinctly unappealing about that.

"Get out. Now." Sasuke pointed at the door with a shaking hand, his fury all-encompassing.

–

The transport had arrived later that day to take Sasuke and Sakura back to their posts as instructors. They'd been given fresh uniforms, which for Sakura consisted of a black skirt, black boots, and a button-up black top adorned with the academy's colors as well as a chain going from the shoulder to the opposite hip. She would have preferred pants, of course, but there was no point in arguing now. She could obtain a proper uniform later, when the fuss had died down.

In the transport, two other officers were riding with them, ready with something called champagne and different expensive-looking sweets. With a sound not heard in nature, the huge door slid open at the press of a button.

"Hey, Sakura! Climb on in!" One the officers welcomed her, waving with her hands exuberantly. She was beautiful, with wild and curly blond hair, hazel eyes behind delicate glasses, and an infectious smile. As the officer leaned forward, her knee hit something, making one of the champagne glasses shatter.

"Aw, you're such a klutz, Leena!" the other officer teased. He was tall and had gravity-defying brown hair and blue eyes that looked like tropical water. Leena shot him a glare, but it was full of humor.

"That's a demerit for you, cadet," she giggled. The brown-haired cadet rolled his eyes in response, and turned to Sakura. She noted that there was a slight flush across his cheeks. Leena spoke up again. "This is one of our newest officers. You probably taught him but don't remember it."

The cadet stood up and bowed slowly.

"My name is Sebastien Delaflote," he said almost like he was confessing something, his cheeks burning even more now. Sakura could not help but smile at him—he was hopelessly adorable. The best part was, he clearly had no idea of it. On the other hand, Leena seemed to have some idea of how attractive she was. Sakura bet the blonde officer used her pretty face to her advantage.

"Well, come on board; we just have to wait for Sasuke-sama now," Leena said, waving Sakura on board the transport. "I've been _dying_ to dig into this champagne ever since the commander gave it to me to bring to you guys," she confided to Sakura, a twinkle in her eye.

Inside there were seats covered in leather and many different panels with buttons and blinking lights. Wide-eyed, Sakura sat down, feeling a bit dazed. Sebastien sat down beside her a bit awkwardly, receiving a warning glare from Leena that Sakura had the feeling she wasn't supposed to see.

"Oh, here he comes," Leena said as Sasuke approached from the other end of the hangar, accompanied by one of the nurses. Sakura's heart skipped a beat—he looked dazzling in the uniform, of course. He was almost agressively handsome; you couldn't ignore a face like that. Leena sighed. "You're so lucky, Sakura-sama. Sasuke-sama is _so dreamy_," she said, clasping her hands together and smiling. "He makes that uniform look like something from this season's hottest designer..." she then frowned and looked down at herself. "As opposed to standard-issue crap. God, could they _make_ these more unappealing?"

Sakura let out a small, forced laugh, unable to remove her gaze from Sasuke. Things were going to get complicated fairly soon, she imagined. After all, as much as she might have wished it, her feelings certainly had not completely dissipated. Would she be able to keep the two worlds separate in her mind?

"Well well, long time no see, Instructor Uchiha," Leena winked at Sasuke, effectively welcoming him aboard. Suddenly Sakura didn't like Leena quite so much. Sasuke regarded her with a somewhat confused expression, and settled for nodding slightly in Leena's direction. He turned to Sebastien.

"Get out of my seat," he commanded. Sebastien looked up into Sasuke's eyes for a moment, but then abated and moved grudgingly to the other side of the transport. Sakura met Sasuke's eyes as he sat down and the transport took off. Suddenly it seemed that complications were piling on, and it was making Sakura nervous.

"I guess you guys haven't heard, but there's trouble brewing on the coast near Kalaia," Leena said darkly once the two men had settled down. Sakura grimaced—she was probably expected to say something about this, but she didn't even know a place called Kalaia _existed_. A stony silence passed through the transport.

"They sent three cadets last week, but none of them have reported back yet," Sebastian added, his eyes darkening. "As we all know, a week in the field is like a century to civilians."

"They're probably dead," Sakura said, confirming what Sebastian had been implying. He nodded, swallowing at the same time.

"You should never have sent cadets into the unknown like that. You may as well have thrown them off a cliff. Who authorized that decision?"

Sakura's jaw dropped at Sasuke's words. He sounded so...convincing. Like he really was who Leena and Sebastian thought he was. Sakura did not miss the sly smug look he sent her way.

"I did, technically. But Novia approved it!" Leena said defensively. Sasuke rolled his eyes and Sakura thought she heard him say something about 'stupid women' under his breath, but she couldn't be sure. _I wonder who Novia is,_ Sakura thought, tapping her chin. _And I wonder what the details of this Kalaia situation are..._

"Tell me more about the situation," Sakura encouraged. Leena and Sebastian glanced at each other.

"Actually...we have no idea what's going on," Sebastian confessed. "Locals were sending requests to Novia for backup because it was as though the area was being haunted and the people were getting spooked. We figured it was just some dumb kids..."

"But we're swamped with the overflow from your mission you just completed, so we haven't gotten the chance to really look into Kalaia further," Leena jumped in. Sakura processed the information and sent a sideways peek at Sasuke. His arms were crossed, and oddly enough, he looked completely comfortable with acting the part. _I guess when he gets motivated to do something, he really goes for it... _

"We'll definitely look into it when we get back," Sakura finally said, although she dearly hoped that they would not be in this strange place long enough for her to actually go on any missions.

–

"Novia upgraded you guys to thank you for your hard work, so you'll be living in a different wing now," Leena said as they entered the academy. Sakura was in awe of it—it was a collection of towers and turrets surrounding a bright, sunny center. Flying transports and shuttles buzzed in and out. As they flew into the hangar, Sakura could observe classes going on in some of the nearby classrooms.

Sebastian pressed a button and the transport door opened. A somewhat elderly man was waiting for them, accompanied by a fierce-looking woman with short, spiky black hair and red lips. She was exotic and exquisitely beautiful, but like Sasuke, the effect was somewhat ruined by the sour expression on her face.

"Oh, great. Mai's here," Sebastian said sullenly. He leaned closer to Sakura and whispered, "She's the new Head of Instruction. She just got here last week. Real bitch if you ask me."

They stood at attention, with some fumbling on Sasuke and Sakura's parts as they tried to figure out _how _to stand at attention.

"At ease," the elderly man said, smiling. He had a pleasant face and looked as though he had not seen combat in a very, very long time. "Excellent job, you two. Every time I send you out on an assignment, you do it and you do it with serious style."

"Just doing our job, sir," Sakura said with a nervous laugh. Beads of perspiration were beginning to form along her hairline.

Just then, another figure burst through the door and strolled over to them, and the shock of it was like a punch in the gut—because Gaara, living and breathing Gaara, was walking over to them, grinning like he never had when Sakura had known him.

"Dammit, Uchiha. I should have snagged Sakura when I'd had the chance. Goddamn newlyweds," he jested, slapping Sasuke on the back. Sasuke was wide-eyed and pale. Gaara was alive, and joking with people. Wonders would _never_ cease. "Anyway, can I show 'em to their new pad, Novia?" Gaara slung an arm around Sasuke's neck and blew Sakura a kiss. Novia sighed loudly.

"Fine, Shukaku," he said, and turned and left with Mai. As soon as they were gone, Gaara whirled on them.

"You guys have to tell me everything, got it? Now let's go, we'll walk and talk. I got a class in twenty so I don't have all day!"

They left the hangar with Leena and Sebastian following, expecting them to talk...but both Sasuke and Sakura were too shocked. Had Gaara been reborn here? What was going on? Sakura felt confused and lost now, even more than before, and the anxiety was causing a sick, twisting feeling in her gut. To her, Gaara had been dead. And here he was, a totally different, very much alive, person.

"Actually, why don't we wait a bit to give the details on the mission....Sasuke and I are both a little tired from the medications and pain killers, so we might not remember everything," Sakura said as she followed Gaara.

"Good point. We should all go out for beers later tonight," Sebastian suggested. Leena grinned.

"Maybe we can convince Novia to throw a huge party for you guys! Oh my gosh, that would be so much fun. Just think of it: dancing, great food and drinks. All of the academy would be invited," Leena said, spreading her hands out and gesturing. "I mean, everyone could definitely use a chance to have some fun. Plus, then these two could recount the mission for _everyone_!"

Just as Sebastian and Gaara were agreeing with Leena's idea, they took a turn down a corridor and came to a door.

"You guys have to set your new code, but I guess you can do that later. Oh and don't worry, Novia had all your stuff moved," Gaara explained as he pressed a button on a keypad next to the door. The door slid aside to reveal an enormous room with floor-to-ceiling windows on one wall, facing outward towards the sparkling sea. Against one wall was a king-sized bed, and across the room was a small square table with two stools. There was a stove and oven and refrigerator, and adjacent to that was a pair of desks facing each other. A glass door led out onto a small balcony.

"Damn! You guys really hit the jackpot!" Sebastian whistled through his teeth.

"Well, we should probably let you guys rest. Come on, boys, let's give them their space. No buts!" Leena grabbed each man by the collar of their shirts and began dragging them away. "Page us when you wanna go out, kay?"

"Sure thing. Bye," Sakura said softly as the door slid shut again.

And then they were alone.


	3. 2: Paper Planes

Isekai

Author's Note: Sorry I was late on this—I got into a car accident and have been out of it, so everything in my life has been pushed back a few days. Also, this chapter is 5000 words... you all asked for longer chapters, so I attempted to deliver. I struggled a lot with this chapter, and there are probably a lot of errors that I haven't caught, so...yeah. PLEASE REVIEW.

Chapter Two: Paper Planes

Here she was again, alone with this man that she no longer knew at all. Sakura shifted uncomfortably, desperately trying to think of a way to get herself away from him, or at least some way to relieve some of the hateful tension between them.

"I guess...we can just look around the room and try to learn about ourselves in this world as much as possible," she suggested finally as she approached the two desks. Sasuke observed her as she opened drawers and pawed through them, looking for clues into their new life. Her body was rigid with self-consciousness; Sasuke's obsidian gaze lay heavy on her.

"Whatever. I'm going to take a nap," Sasuke replied, kicking off his boots and leaving them in the middle of the floor before flopping facedown onto the enormous bed. Sakura dispelled angry thoughts towards him, and focused on the task at hand. She had always prided herself on her ability to logic her way out of any bad situation—there was no reason to give that up now just because of a certain Uchiha's presence.

On the desk were pictures from what Sakura presumed were the wedding and honeymoon. One was of them saying their vows as Novia married them. There was another slightly more candid one of Sakura, wearing a thin, filmy sundress and running away from the camera, an expression of mischeif and pure bliss on her face. Something in Sakura's stomach turned when she came upon one of Sasuke planting a kiss on her forehead, an arm around her protectively. Quickly, she slammed the frame back down on the desk, and then turned it facedown as an afterthought.

In the drawers were lesson plans, graded papers, notes on various students, and other records. Sakura lay them on top of the desk for reading later, and then turned to Sasuke's desk.

There was a picture of Itachi on it, fishing and waving at the camera, and another one of their parents' wedding. Sakura couldn't help but wonder how Sasuke would react to the sight of those pictures...probably not very favorably. There were several different pictures of her as well. Inside the desk were lesson plans and magazine clippings on various weapons—perhaps a wishlist of sorts?

Sakura ventured into the bathroom. It was, like the rest of the apartment, huge. Everything was either marble or technological. In the drawers of the vanity were bath supplies and condoms, much to Sakura's embarrassment. She slammed the drawer shut and left the bathroom in a hurry. So far, all she had learned was that she was an organized teacher, and her sex life was more than healthy.

Back in the bedroom, Sasuke was lying facing the ceiling, still not asleep. The bed was the most comfortable one he had ever been in, but the nervous energy that Sakura exuded seemed to prevent him from falling asleep, even though he felt exhausted.

_This is me, in another life. This version of me fell in love with and married Sakura. This version of me is a teacher. This version of me...is a hero._

Hero...it wasn't a word he would have ever associated with himself. In fact, none of this was what he would have ever associated with himself. It was almost like the universe had a sense of humor—and a twisted one at that.

Sasuke's mind drifted like the clouds outside across the blue sky. _Is Itachi alive in this world? What about my parents? _

It had also been weird seeing Gaara, alive and so different from the Gaara that Sasuke had known. Did that mean that if Gaara hadn't borne such a stigma all of his life, this was the person he could have been? Who else would they see, and how different would they be?

_I wonder if Suigetsu and the rest are going forth with the mission. ...Was this version of me transported there? I wonder if he's playing along... _

Sasuke scrunched his eyes shut. Deep down, he knew that everything was now ruined. There was no way, even if he returned this instant, that he could resume the mission to destroy Konoha. He'd been gone for at least two days now, possibly longer. Anger filled him. Everything he wanted was always being taken away from him. What was the point of his life now that Itachi was dead and his new mission ruined?

Finally, he began to drift off into a fitful and dreamless sleep.

Sakura had been going through the wardrobe (full of complicated lingerie and sparring gear) when there was a knock on the door and it slid open, revealing Sebastian.

"Still haven't set that lock yet—oh, sorry, I didn't realize Sasuke was asleep," the brunette said, switching hastily to a hushed tone. Sakura lifted a single shoulder as a shrug, and walked over to him quietly.

"He's pretty tired. Did you need something?" she murmured. Sebastian's lips curled into a grin and Sakura found herself smiling too.

"Can I steal you for a couple hours? I had the feeling you wouldn't be asleep. You're so full of energy, always have been," he said, his eyes twinkling. Sakura's stomach flipped from anxiety, but she couldn't resist him.

"Oh, alright. Sasuke'll probably be out for another hour or two," she replied, but Sebastian had already taken her hand and was leading her out of the apartment. "Where are we going?"

"I thought you might like a chance to get some fresh air," he explained as they trotted along the corridors. "I just got my hoverboard fixed, and I know you have one, and it's such a nice day outside."

"H-hoverboard?" Sakura sputtered. _What the _hell _is a hoverboard?_

"Yeah, it's the new ST83 model, a real beauty. Nothing like yours though," Sebastian replied as he continued to drag her along. They arrived at the hangar, where Gaara was on the ground underneath a small craft, fiddling around with tools.

"Where's your lesser half, Sakura?" Gaara called from underneath the hovercraft as they passed by.

"He's sleeping," Sakura replied, grinning at Gaara's phrasing. "I think the painkillers really tired him out," she added.

"Ah well, can't say I'm disappointed." Gaara smiled and returned to his work. Sebastian ushered Sakura further along to a corner of the hangar. There, hanging on an elaborate device, was what Sakura assumed was the hoverboard Sebastian had been talking about. It was two flat circular metal plates connected by a pipe that seemed to be fairly flexible. Sebastian unhooked it and pressed a button. Immediately, the entire board began to emit an aqua-colored light and hovered a few inches from the ground.

"Where's mine?" Sakura asked, looking around. One of the officers who worked in the hangar was walking by and pointed it out to her. "Thanks," she said, pressing a button similar to Sebastian's. The hoverboard turned on and emitted a pink light. It was much more delicate than Sebastian's, and had blossoms engraved along the edge of the front plate.

"Well, hop on and we'll just take a spin around Gaulin, shall we?" Sebastian gestured to her hoverboard. Hesitantly, Sakura hopped on, and it felt as though a current was running through her. At the moment she wondered how to go forward, it began inching towards the opening of the hangar. Sakura had to fight back a shriek of shock and delight. "Ready?"

"I-I think so..." Sakura replied, and followed Sebastian somewhat shakily out of the hangar. Luckily she had some natural coordination, so she was able to keep her balance without too much trouble. The main issue was her fear of the hoverboard—how did it _know_ what she was thinking? When she wanted it to slow down, it slowed down smoothly. When she wanted it to speed up, it did that too. To control where it went, all she had to do was flex her ankles and lean in the direction she wanted to go in.

Gaulin was composed of green rolling hills leading to an ocean under a clear blue sky. In the distance there was a small town with a port that had a few decent-sized ships within it. In the far distance, across the water, was more land with an intimidating silhouette of a city and several mountains. On the nearby shore, a few cadets were enjoying their day off by spending the day on the beach. Really, Sakura couldn't help but note the similarity to Konoha—clear blue sky, big beautiful trees, and smiling faces everywhere. Plus, there was an academy to teach young men and women how to fight. Perhaps fighting was her destiny...?

They ascended further into the air, until they were at least fifty feet above the ground. Sakura followed Sebastian out over the ocean. To know that she was above extremely deep water that probably contained life-threatening creatures was thrilling. Sakura laughed as she watched Sebastian show off, doing loops and hair-pin turns that were just short of throwing him into the ocean. She attempted some tricks as well, but the pain in her leg stopped her from doing anything near Sebastian's level.

There was a trilling sound that nearly startled Sakura off her board—it was coming from Sebastian.

"Shit, Hyuuga's paging me—we have to head back...." Sebastian said, stopping short in the air and turning slightly to face her with a truly sorrowful expression. Sakura had to hide her shock at hearing the name; which Hyuuga would it be? She hoped it would be Hinata, but then again, Gaara had proven there was no guarantee that Hinata would retain her kind and docile personality.

"It's fine. Sasuke's probably going to wake up soon anyway," Sakura replied as they turned to head back to the academy, side by side. She could feel Sebastian looking over at her periodically.

"You know...spending time with you....is awesome," he said, blushing hotly. Sakura could feel her ego flaring, and as much as she told herself to not be too thrilled about his words, she couldn't help but feel happy.

–

There was a knock on the door, pulling Sasuke from the fitful nap he had been in the middle of. He remained in the bed, listening to see if the person would offer their identity. If it was Sakura, he wasn't going to open the door.

"This is Officer Mai. Have you finished the report for the mission?"

_Report? What?_

Sasuke sat up and stared at the door before finally pulling himself from the bed and pressing the button to let Mai in. The steel door slid open, revealing Mai standing ramrod straight. Sasuke noted that she had a whip coiled and attached to her belt.

"I was napping," Sasuke replied irritably, standing straight as well to intimidate her with his height—until he realized that she was nearly as tall as he was. Mai quirked an eyebrow.

"Where's Sakura?"

"None of your business," he retorted. "and I'm not writing some stupid report. Goodbye," he added, and pressed the 'close' button—but Mai stopped the steel door with _one hand._ Sasuke gaped at her pure strength. He didn't know a woman that strong.

"It may be none of _my_ business, but it is typically the business of a husband to know where his wife is. I expect you to pull your act together, Uchiha."

Mai turned on her heel and walked away without another word, leaving Sasuke to stare after her in shock. Her strength just wasn't _natural_ for a woman. And what the hell was her creepy obsession with Sakura about? The woman was all around strange—from her intimidating height and strength to her deep voice and flat delivery.

Sasuke closed the door finally and turned back to the room, and began pacing. So much time had passed—what were Suigetsu and the others doing now? Anxiety was building up within him. To make matters worse, being around Sakura was bringing painful memories and feelings back to the surface; memories and feelings that Sasuke had thought were buried permanently. He could feel his nerves being slowly shredded.

Just then, the door opened again, and Sakura walked in, looking flushed and bright-eyed. Sasuke turned and met her gaze, and watched as her good mood seemed to dissolve upon seeing him.

"We're supposed to go out with everyone for drinks and tell them about the mission," Sakura said as she walked to the mirror and began attempting to fix her hair. "What do you wanna say?"

Sasuke turned back to face the ocean and stared out at the sky that was beginning to darken with twilight. What he wanted to say was that he didn't _know_ who or where the hell he was, and that it didn't even really matter now, because all of his plans were now ruined. He no longer had any reason to exist. He wanted to tell them that everything had been for naught and he wanted to just end his life here and save himself a lot of trouble.

"You can figure that out. It doesn't matter to me anyway," he replied sourly. "Everything is beyond saving now."

He heard Sakura walk up behind him, and he turned around to tell her off—until she clocked him squarely in the nose. "Augh! What the hell--"

"I know you're stupid, but I had thought it might occur to you that the flow of time could very well be different, you moron," she said harshly, not even bothered by the blood dripping from Sasuke's nose now. He pressed his hand to his face; he had not expected Sakura to pack such a hard punch. He would have retaliated, but her words sunk in. _The flow of time could be different._ "Who knows—maybe only a few minutes have passed in our world. It's worth hoping. So pull your head out of your ass and let's figure out a plan!"

He hated to admit it, and wouldn't acknowledge it out loud, but Sakura made a very good point. And a small spark of hope flickered within Sasuke. He still might have a purpose. Nothing would be ruined for good unless he returned home and found it to be so.

Sakura went to the bathroom and ran a washcloth under cold water and came back to give it to him. He accepted it wordlessly, his mind already working on a solution to their current dilemma.

"We'll just say that we're not really ready to talk about it yet," Sasuke finally concluded as he wiped the blood from his nose. Some had dribbled onto the carpet, but he didn't bother to clean it up. If it bothered Sakura, she could clean it up herself. "It's a valid response, seeing as we just returned today."

"Okay, but we can't avoid it forever," Sakura reminded him. "It'll work for now, I guess. Anyway, we're supposed to meet them in the hangar in an hour. Mai, Leena, Sebastian, and Gaara are going to be there, as well as some other people we haven't actually met yet."

Sasuke observed Sakura fuss over her appearance and vaguely wondered why she was bothering. Girls only cared about their appearance because they wanted a boy to notice them, but Sakura was already married. Besides, no amount of fuss could make Sakura a pretty girl, in his opinion.

The tension that hung in the room was suffocating, making Sakura wonder how the hell she was going to share a _bed_ with this man. Conflicted feelings ran hot and cold inside of her: viscerally, she hated this man and all he had done to her and the ones she loved. But seeing her childhood crush sitting in just an undershirt and black pants on a bed was doing odd things to her brain. She would just have to blame his handsome face—it was so deceiving. If only faces truly showed the owner's personality...then Sasuke would be more hideous than perhaps even Danzo.

Finally, the time came to go to the hangar.

"Try to pretend we like each other," Sakura coached in a low voice as they walked the corridors. Because it was almost dinnertime, cadets and officers were scurrying about the halls, and all wanted to talk to Sasuke and Sakura, making it difficult to have a private conversation.

"Fine," Sasuke said, grabbing Sakura's hand a tad too violently and lacing his fingers through hers, ignoring the strange sensation he seemed to be getting in the pit of his stomach. Perhaps he was hungry. He was also curious about this evening—he had never had a drink before. Maybe he would allow himself to get drunk; it might make sharing a bed with Sakura a little easier to handle.

Everyone else was already waiting inside the hangar, next to the car they had chosen. When Sakura laid eyes on the new additions to the group, she had to stop herself from screaming.

Neji and Itachi were standing there, discussing something in low voices. Finally, they each looked up. Sakura felt Sasuke tighten his grip on her hand so hard she thought the bones might be on the verge of breaking.

"Ah, finally. You both look stressed. Let's fix that, shall we?" Itachi greeted them with a smile. "A long night of drinking can fix any stress level," he added, earning chuckles from the rest of the group. Sasuke still didn't speak, and for the first time in a long time, Sakura felt sincerely sorry for him.

As everyone was climbing into the transport, Leena turned back and sent Sakura a distinctly hateful look. Something told her it was going to be a very long night.

–

The bar in question was a dark, smoky joint apparently frequented by people of the academy, for it was filled with people in uniform. Waitresses in sky-high minis and high heels strutted about, refilling drinks, and grungy music played in the background. It was the one place that seemed to accept the true drudgery of military life, compared with the rest of Gaulin. Groups of officers and cadets huddled about in circular booths, and loners sat at the counter, staring into space.

"One of these days, we ought to go to one of the more fun places. This place depresses me...it's _such_ a dive," Gaara confided to Sakura, who nodded her head in agreement. There was something notably sad about the place, although she knew from personal experience that sometimes it was just too hard to be around normal, cheerful people. It was too lonely—at least this way, you were with people who went through the same things you did.

"It's cheap. If you don't like it, go somewhere else," Neji said cuttingly.

They all packed into a booth in the corner, lit up by a few icy-blue lights. Instead of a waitress coming by, a small flying mechanism with a single robotic eye whizzed over, its eye moving jerkily as it took in each member of their party.

"A beer," Itachi said. Sebastian and Gaara followed suit, but Sasuke, Mai, and Neji ordered water, and Leena ordered some sort of fruity drink. When the eye landed on Sakura, she balked. She had never had a drink before, and thanks to her teacher Tsunade, she was slightly afraid of drinking at all.

"Um...water for me too," she said finally.

"So," Leena rounded on Sasuke. "tell us _everything_ about the mission," she said flirtatiously, looking up at him from under her eyelashes. Sakura ignored a spike of malice towards Leena.

"We're not really ready to talk about it yet..." Sakura spoke up for Sasuke, who was still white as a sheet. "Maybe some other time," she added quickly.

The mood further plummeted when Neji spoke.

"Tomorrow I'm going out to Kalaia to investigate," he announced as the drinks came. It was still the little fluttering eye, but a robotic arm had extended out to clutch the tray.

"Do we have any more details yet?" Sakura asked, trying to seem normal and interested, although in reality, at the moment she didn't much care about Kalaia. Sasuke looked as though he was about to faint, and it was scaring Sakura.

"No, nothing. The cadets haven't come back yet. I knew we should never have sent inexperienced cadets into something like that," Neji replied, grimacing. "They're probably dead, thanks to Novia's lack of interest."

Next to her, Sakura realized Sebastian's leg was pressed up against hers, done very much on purpose. He retained a facial expression of interest in what Neji was saying, but she could feel him inching closer and closer. The contact was making her slightly sick with nervousness.

"Excuse me, I'll be right back—bathroom trip," Sakura said, climbing out of the booth, attracting stares from everyone. As she wove through the crowd, she realized she had been perspiring.

Sakura found the bathroom and sighed with relief as she sank to the cold, tiled floor. Alone at last, away from the sound and fury of it all. She looked down, and realized her hands were shaking visibly.

"Shit," she swore under her breath as the door slid open, revealing Mai. Sakura began to paste on a fake smile and stammer excuses, but Mai waved her hand and sat down beside Sakura.

"Don't bother," she said flatly. "I know something is wrong." her flat black eyes trained themselves on Sakura, boring into her. Sakura had the feeling Mai wasn't going to leave until Sakura explained what was going on.

Sakura exhaled, blowing her bangs up slightly.

"It's just...things have been so weird between me and Sasuke. That, and...Leena's mad at me, and I really don't know why. And I'm so tired, and confused...." Sakura confessed, feeling weak for showing her true feelings. Mai hardly seemed surprised by her words.

"You will be alright, Sakura," she replied simply, patting Sakura's knee. Sakura looked at Mai, smiling, and was struck with a lightning bolt of recognition—Mai reminded her strongly of someone, though she couldn't figure out who.

"Th-thanks," she muttered, turning away again.

–

They returned to the apartment late that night, both physically and emotionally drained. Sakura pressed the 'close' button behind them as Sasuke kicked off his boots and yanked off his uniform top, still silent.

"That...was awkward," Sakura said, just to break the weird silence between them. Sasuke didn't even look back at her as he stuffed his uniform in the wardrobe, having stripped down to just his boxers and undershirt. "But...it must be nice to see Itachi...right?" she ventured hesitantly.

This time, he did look back. Sasuke turned sharply to face her, and stalked over to her so fast she had no time to process it. Suddenly, he was a hair's width away from her.

"I murdered him," he said bluntly. "I don't want to see him. Ever again."

"...Oh," Sakura squeaked, backing up against the wall. In the dim light of the room, Sasuke appeared menacing, but more than that, he appeared _old._ Not physically—he had an extremely young face—but mentally. His eyes looked so tired, like the world had permanently exhausted him. There was no spark of life to his obsidian orbs, not like there had been years ago. And now, Sakura knew what had put that spark out—at least, one of the things that had. "So much has happened to you. I really...don't know you anymore, do I?" it was a rhetorical question, of course. She didn't know him at all. And he didn't know her either. And the way things were going, that wouldn't change.

"You never did," Sasuke replied, standing up again to pull the covers back. His words were like dead weight in the room. While she watched him, she was struck by an idea—an odd, and stupid one, but an idea nonetheless.

"I want to fight you," she said quickly. Sasuke stopped in his tracks.

"I would kill you."

"Not a tough match. Just a spar—limited to taijutsu...Not that chakra works here."

Sakura held her breath as Sasuke licked his lips thoughtfully.

"Now?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Sakura nodded levelly.

"Now," she replied. "There's a training center around the corner...no one'll be there, probably. It's so late."

"...I'll crush you, you know," Sasuke said, straightening and folding his wiry arms across his chest. Sakura shrugged.

"We'll see," she said simply, although her heart was beginning to pound. Why was she doing this, exactly? Sometimes she wondered about her own sanity.

Sasuke pulled his uniform back on and they made the journey to the training center in silence, their standard-issue boots clicking as they walked. It was the only noise to be heard. Sakura had been correct: the halls and training center were entirely empty.

Inside, the training center was made to resemble varying terrains—there was even a stream built in, bubbling along quietly, looping around the various spots for training. They found a small clearing and seemed to agree on it without speaking. They turned to face each other. Now, Sakura was so nervous that once again, she was shaking; she couldn't back out now, but what if he ended up beating her to a pulp? The man murdered his own brother—she couldn't put it past him to mess her up. Still, she took a fighting stance as Sasuke relaxed his body and furrowed his brow in concentration.

And then it began.

Sasuke was immeasurably fast, but without his various techniques, he was at a bit of a loss. He had strength, and could fight, but Sakura had those as well, and as far as strength went, she had that in spades. She was also just as smart as he was; even he could admit to that. He dodged a blow aimed at his side and went to trip her legs, but she took the split-second in his lapse of concentration to her advantage and landed a stunning hit to his chest with a round kick; it knocked the wind out of him, but he recovered with a hook and a jab to her head. She stumbled backwards, but recovered much faster than he would have ever anticipated.

Stripped of his advantages, Sasuke was forced to confront something: Sakura was his equal, at least in taijutsu. She had improved _markedly_ since he had last seen her fight. She truly now was a force to be reckoned with. On top of that, in her green eyes burned a fire of fury that propelled her and sent adrenaline coursing through her body. All of the pain, sadness, anger, and fear that she had endured for so long due to him was now concentrated in each hit, each blow.

And it angered him. He had spent every waking moment in intense training—even without his sharingan and seals, he should have been miles ahead of her. But no, this girl, the girl he had always had to save when they were kids, the girl who couldn't even beat Naruto, was his match.

Sasuke grabbed her shoulders and kneed Sakura in the stomach, earning an 'oof!' from her and a trickle of blood to be emitted from her mouth. But instead of retaliating, Sakura's legs buckled underneath her and she dropped to the ground helplessly.

"Agh," she moaned, wrapping her arms around her stomach. Sasuke _would_ have felt triumphant, but something about the sight of her like that niggled him. "G-good fight," she said, smiling before spitting out some blood.

"....Whatever," he replied before coughing up some blood of his own as well. He'd never admit it to her, but he was in a decent amount of pain. He'd definitely be sore for a few days. After a moment, Sakura stood up on her own and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"While we're here...I have a request," she announced, her voice trembling, though she tried to hide it. Sasuke recognized the determination in her green eyes. "...I want you to train me."

Silence fell again on the training center as Sasuke regarded her as though waiting for her to say, 'just kidding!'.

"Why the hell would I do that," he sneered, already turning to go back to the room—albeit with a slight limp that he couldn't quite hide. Sakura ran to catch up with him.

"You're pretty unskilled in taijutsu if someone like me was able to do that much damage to you," she said as they exited the training center. Sasuke would have punched her, but a lone student was walking nearby, and it might have caused complications, so he refrained. Plus, she didn't look like she could take much more physical stress. "You have to admit it," she goaded. "So if you train me, you're bound to get better, right? And I want to get better at fighting too. Just because we're here doesn't mean we should have to let our fighting skills decline."

"I don't want to train you. Now leave me alone so we can get some sleep," he snapped as they entered their apartment. Sakura glared at his back, but Sasuke seemed to not care in the slightest—already he had removed his uniform and was crawling into bed. Sakura heaved a sigh and went to the bathroom to clean up before she went to sleep.

–


	4. 3: Love Grows

Isekai

Author's Note: This is my longest chapter yet—over 7,000 words! Thanks to all of you for your lovely reviews. This chapter is action-packed, so please read and review!! thanks!

Chapter Three: Love Grows

Sasuke had become basically a professional at sleeping through mental and emotional turmoil, so when he finally did wake up, the sun was streaming through the enormous windows and flooding the apartment with golden light.

Slowly, he pushed himself up into a sitting position and blinked for a moment, taking in his surroundings. Sakura lay on the very edge of the bed, her hair wild and her legs tangled up in the covers. It was obvious she was not quite as skilled in sleeping soundly through problems—she had probably only fallen asleep a few hours ago. It was also obvious that the idea of being any closer to him than she actually had to be was repulsive to her.

Many questions buzzed through his mind: would they have to teach classes today? When would they find the time to research how to get back to their own world, and how would they go about doing said research? Was it even possible?

Of course, there were other things that had been bothering Sasuke since the night before, especially after seeing Itachi. What if his parents were alive? That simple question held so many emotions within it. If his parents were alive, then that meant that everything about Sasuke's life—his sole purpose in life—was gone. He was reduced to another normal kid with a loving family and all advantages one could ask for. It was what he dearly wished for every single waking moment of his life since the massacre, but now that it had been given to him...he did not know what to do.

That being said...who did that make him? Was he even himself anymore? And could he know himself? Who _was_ he?

It boggled the mind—he felt like a dog chasing its tail. Sasuke got out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash his face with cold water to wake himself up and take his mind off of the many questions he had.

Inside the bathroom, while rooting around for soap, he came upon something they had even in his own world that surprised him. In one of the drawers was a small package of condoms, discretely placed underneath a washcloth.

_That's right. Married people have sex,_ he thought, blanching slightly at the thought of doing _that_ with Sakura. He slammed the drawer shut and went back to his hunt for the soap, but his mind lingered on that thought for a while.

The truth was, he was a virgin, and he had never given this much thought—actually, he had not even given it a single thought before. It just hadn't come up. He'd been so occupied with everything else in his life that the hormones of normal teenage boys had been entirely and utterly ignored.

Sasuke slid his gaze out of the bathroom to Sakura's sleeping figure, and watched momentarily as she rolled over and mumbled something in her sleep. Was she still a virgin too? She _had _to be, right...?

He shook his head. This was stupid. Why was he even wondering about this? He finally came upon a small bar of soap and went to work washing his face, relishing the feel of cold water—and then he stopped.

What if she was fucking Naruto?

_Stop thinking about this,_ he commanded himself. _Just stop._

But he couldn't just stop thinking about it. Because if she were indeed fucking Naruto, that would be yet another thing Naruto had over him now.

_Don't think about it like that. You could have done Karin any day of the week and you didn't, and she has a better body than Sakura. You've just been too busy._

But Sasuke couldn't quite stop the feelings of unfairness flooding through him. Sakura was his, and always had been. It wasn't that he actually wanted her, but that part of team seven should not have changed. The thing was, Sakura had declared her feelings so many times and hung around so much that Sasuke had almost come to think of her as one of his belongings. Throughout the long days and nights of Orochimaru's training, he would comfort himself with the fact that Sakura was more than likely thinking of him. Naruto might be thinking of ramen or how to become hokage, and Kakashi might be reading Icha Icha Paradise...but Sakura would always be thinking of him.

"You take longer than most girls I know," Sakura said from the bedroom, infuriating Sasuke further. "We need to figure out what the plan for today is," she added. Sasuke sighed loudly and dried his face off with a nearby towel before going back into the bedroom.

"Do we teach today...?" Sasuke asked as he sat back down on his side of the bed, noting the way Sakura inched further away.

"No, I got a message from Novia that we have one more day off. So we can use today to look into how to get back," she replied, looking down and fidgeting with the covers.

_How to get back...._ Sasuke stared out at the ocean. It seemed impossible.

There was a knock on the door. When Sasuke answered it, it revealed a more disgruntled than usual Neji.

"I need to borrow Sakura for a few hours," he said sourly, his gaze flickering over Sasuke. "Recon mission in Kalaia. You up for it?" he asked Sakura. Sasuke bristled.

"First of all, we have plans. Second of all, why _her_?" he sneered, implying that taking him made significantly more sense. Neji scoffed.

"Because I like working with intelligent people and dislike working with non-intelligent people, of course," the opal-eyed officer said simply, as though it were obvious. Sakura flushed and flinched away from Sasuke, who sent her a hateful glare. Since when was _she _more intelligent than him?

_Oh, right,_ he realized. _Since day one of the ninja academy._

"Let me just get dressed," she replied, seeming to regain her usual spark of energy. Sasuke balked.

"We have things to attend to--"

"You can do some research yourself, can't you?" she asked innocently. She turned back to Neji. "I'll meet you in the hangar in ten minutes?"

"That's acceptable," Neji finally agreed as he turned on his heel and left. Afraid of giving Sasuke a chance to yell at her, Sakura immediately began getting dressed. Sasuke continued to glare at her however, forcing her to speak.

"It's just for a few hours, and if we refuse to help out with missions it will seem suspicious. And let's face it," she paused to pull her uniform top over her head, "the less time we spend together, the better."

Sasuke couldn't really argue with that. Sakura left without saying goodbye.

–

If one were to look up the definition of 'post apocalyptic' one might find a picture of Kalaia. Located several kilometers from Gaulin, the city sat on the rocky coast of the freezing waters of the far north. It was a land perpetually bathed in twilight, and because of this, there was no vegetation. Harsh winds and brittle rocks comprised the scenery. Neji and Sakura landed their hoverboards on the shore and hopped off, their boots splashing through the shallows. A few yards away was the mouth of the city, fronted by a crumbling structure.

"How can anyone _live_ here," Sakura mumbled, mostly to herself. She had the feeling that a frosty person like Neji would have no trouble inhabiting such terrain. Neji went ahead, picking his way through the rocks and sand with ease. Sakura struggled to keep up with him; it was a little more difficult to navigate in a miniskirt. _Stupid uniforms._

After showing their identification as military personnel to the guards at the entrance to Kalaia, Neji and Sakura entered the city in silence. For every building that was in relatively good shape, there were three more around it that were crumbling.

"Fifty years ago or so, Fleuria attacked and conquered, and they never got the funds together to rebuild," Neji explained. Sakura nodded. Occasionally they would see others on the streets, but for the most part, it was apparent that the citizens of Kalaia kept to themselves.

Strapped to Neji's back was a heavy blade that was longer than his torso, and sheathed in an elaborate design of brass and leather. It made sense that Neji would have such a traditional and timeless weapon here. As for herself, Sakura had a pair of brass knuckles and a few smoke bombs, and she was happy for this—hand-to-hand combat was her best skill. They continued into the center of the city, where there was an elaborate statue of some general in the center of a fountain that was not currently operating.

"Excuse me," Neji stopped a young man walking by and flashed his military identification. "We're looking into --"

Before he could say anything more, the man spit at them and ran away. Neji sighed. "Great, just great," he said as they watched the man run into a house, leaving the street completely empty again.

"Well, what were you hoping to find, anyway?" Sakura asked as she sat down on the edge of the fountain. Neji shrugged.

"I heard something about someone messing with the radio signals of this entire region. The communications tower is over there, but no one's allowed in—I even remember Itachi went and sealed it shut," Neji said, rubbing his temples in frustration. Sakura looked to where Neji had gestured. Indeed, looming over the city was a rusted building with bent and misshapen satellite dishes affixed to its top.

"We could check it out anyway," Sakura offered. "I don't think we're going to find much here by just surveying people," she added. Neji nodded in agreement.

"To the communications tower, then," he said, and they mounted their hoverboards.

As they raced through the streets, it was evident to Sakura that the city had once been a hub of culture and art. Signs of beautification were everywhere: statues, intricate cobblestone work on the road, architecturally intriguing buildingfronts. But now it was nearly dust. She felt sick to her stomach when she realized that Konoha was like that now too.

The communications tower was set on a hill a quarter of a mile above the city. After hacking through a few barbed-wire fences and tricking some small security measures, the team found themselves at the tower. Weeds grew everywhere, and the only door was rusted shut. Neji pulled out a handgun and shot the hinges off and then peeled the door away. He seemed bored now, but Sakura was beginning to feel anxiety in the pit of her stomach. She had gone on plenty of missions in her time, and she had developed a sixth sense for when things were not quite right.

"Be careful," she cautioned as they entered the tower. Neji scoffed and walked around. Inside, there were controls and an elevator to where the real controls were. Screens were everywhere, but vines were wrapping themselves over everything, obscuring buttons and switches as well.

"We're not going to find anything here. If there's someone manipulating the radio signals, they'd be doing it from a remote location—never bothering with this shit," he said as he kicked a monitor with his boot, whereupon it cracked and shattered. "We're just killing time here," Neji sighed. "Come on, let's check out the top floor," he said, boarding the lift and fiddling with the controls. "I wonder if it still works..."

Sakura watched for a moment, feeling increasingly queasy. Ignoring the sensation that something horrible was about to happen, she reluctantly hopped on the lift just as, with a horrific screech, it began to inch upward.

"It works. Impressive," Neji remarked as they made their way up. The lift was merely a metal grate with a pulley attached in the center and two bars to be used as handles. Sakura tried to find a safe place to look, but everywhere just reminded her of how high up they were going.

Finally, the lift came to a stop at the top floor. Sakura gasped; it was a larger version of the first floor, except for one thing: ….the system was turned on.

The hum of technology around them was jarring after the pure silence they had been enduring. Sakura and Neji looked around in utter shock.

"It's on," Neji finally spoke, his eyes wide. He stepped off the lift carefully, his hand already moving to the handle of his blade. Sakura followed suit, gearing up to fight in case they ran into trouble.

The other difference between the top floor and the first was the many windows: they now had an incredible view for thousands of miles all around. Sakura ran her hands along the panels—someone had been here recently, that was for sure. Even more likely was that someone _was_ here.

"Fuck!" Neji swore. Sakura whirled around to see Neji trembling.

Across the room, lying on the floor and attracting flies were the bodies of the cadets. They were brutally maimed. One of them had been strangled, another beheaded. Sakura winced as she heard Neji turn around and vomit.

"What the fuck..." he said, straightening and wiping his mouth with his sleeve. Sakura shrugged but didn't trust herself to speak for fear she might follow Neji's example and empty the contents of her stomach.

Neji pulled out his transmitter and turned it on.

"Listen, whoever's there...this is Hyuuga...do you read? Over."

They held their breaths, waiting for a reply. Finally, a familiar voice came in.

"This is Hatake, what's going on? Over."

Sakura was too shocked already to even be surprised at this point by Kakashi.

"We're in Kalaia...we have located the cadets. Over."

"Really? Great! How are they? Over," Kakashi's voice crackled and sounded tinny and distant.

"...You'll need to arrange three funerals....closed casket. This is it, Hatake. We've found it. Over," Neji replied, his voice breaking. Kakashi was silent.

Just then, Sakura heard noises. And then suddenly, the same screeching noise the lift had emitted before was heard; Sakura whirled around just in time to see the lift disappearing...and going back down. Neji met Sakura's eyes for a moment as they both froze in fear.

"Fuck, we need backup, Hatake, pronto. We're at the comm tower in Kalaia. Hurry the fuck up! Over," Neji hissed into the transmitter before unsheathing his sword. Sakura attempted to steady herself as the lift began to bring up their newfound enemies.

--

"Instructor! Open up! Please!" Frantic yelling and banging on the door pulled Sasuke from combing through his desk. Irritated at being interrupted, he stomped over to the door and yanked it open. Outside, Sebastian and a mousy-looking girl with green braided hair and owl-like glasses were waiting for him. Sebastian looked pale with fear and the girl seemed to be panicking.

"We received a call for backup from Hyuuga," Sebastian said darkly. Sasuke blinked.

"....So?" Something told him he was missing the point. Sebastian balked.

"So? That means Instructor Uchiha is in serious trouble, you idiot!"

"Sebastian!" The girl hissed, flushing. "You can't just order him around like that!"

Sebastian rolled his cerulean eyes. "Right, whatever. Anyway, we need you now, _sir_," he said with vitriol, already turning to go. "They're dispatching a team for backup and you're on it."

The girl tapped him lightly on the arm while twisting her braid with her other hand anxiously.

"I know you must be worried, sir," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. Sasuke shrugged and grabbed his boots before following the two cadets. He was led to the hangar where a vehicle that looked like a cross between a hovercraft and a motorcycle was waiting for him, as well as—surprisingly—Kakashi, Itachi, Leena, and Mai. It seemed that they would be taking a transport and he would go ahead, alone.

"Here's your weapon, Instructor," another cadet that Sasuke was fairly sure was Tenten said, handing him a sword. Sasuke briefly unsheathed it; it was two blades parallel to each other with a gun in between them. Quickly, he resheathed the weapon and slung it over his shoulder. It seemed to him to be a bit of overkill—three weapons at a time, when any one of them by itself would have done the job just as well.

"They're in the comm tower in Kalaia. We'd take a transport but it's too slow," Kakashi said as Sasuke walked to the motorcycle. "They found the bodies of the cadets, all dead and already decomposing. Hyuuga was about to elaborate, but they were attacked and we lost contact."

Sasuke attempted to turn on the motorcycle, but before he could find a switch or button, it seemed to come alive. When he looked up, Itachi handed him a small device.

"This will give you directions to the coordinates of Uchiha and Hyuuga. We're letting you go on ahead because we all know you're too much of an impatient brat to just go with us in the transport," Itachi jested before patting Sasuke on the shoulder, his lips curling into a knowing grin. The pain Sasuke felt from this interaction was worse than any physical pain that anyone could have inflicted on him, but he ignored it for now.

"Alright. I'll see you all there then," Sasuke replied brusquely, turning away and looking out.

"Good luck. This might be asking a lot of you, but don't lose your cool and do anything dumb," Kakashi added just as Sasuke's craft began to move. "We'll be right behind you."

Sasuke decided to ignore the insults to his temperament and left the hangar. The device Itachi had given him was like a compass, but always pointing in the direction of Kalaia's communications tower. He took a deep breath, and urged the hovercycle to move faster.

He flew over the ocean, over fields of flowers, between canyons and cliff faces. Gaulin was beautiful, but as he went further north, the beauty seemed to decay and vegetation melted away. Finally, he could see the shrouded silhouette of Kalaia as well as the tower. Oddly enough, he realized his heart was beating fast. He wasn't nervous, was he? Of course not.

_I'm just not used to riding this thing. I'm not worried about her. Not at all._

Finally, the compass gave a beep signaling he had arrived on the shores of Kalaia. Sasuke dismounted the hovercycle and left it in the shallows before sprinting to the entrypoint.

"Out of my way," he ordered the guards. "Military personnel coming through."

When the guards wouldn't budge, Sasuke unsheathed his sword, making them both tremble and begin to perspire.

"Al-alright," the fat one whimpered, pressing a button hastily and opening the steel porticullis.

Without another word, Sasuke ran into the city of Kalaia.

It took a few minutes, but finally he was able to navigate his way to the comm tower. Even from outside, he could hear shouts and the sounds of fighting. With a bit of surprise, he realized his palms were sweating as he sprinted through the broken fences to the tower. Everything was merely a blur as he ran. _I'm just feeling this way because I'm nervous about fighting. And the fact that she's been so rude to me is throwing me off. That's all._

The door was destroyed, as though it had been shot off its hinges. Sasuke stepped over the wreckage and into the tower.

The bottom floor was silent and empty, but Sasuke could hear yells and clangs of metal against metal coming from above. He saw the lift, but for fear that the enemy would see him coming and just shoot him, he began to search for another way up.

Outside of the tower, along the side, he found a flimsy metal ladder attached to the building with rusty nails. Without a moment's hesitation, he began climbing upwards quickly. It was a long way up—at least seventy feet, if not more—but at least this way he wouldn't be noticed right away.

At the top floor there was metal grate acting as a deck, with many rusted switches and buttons along it, operating the giant satellite dishes atop the building. Scaling the wall, he found a door to the interior. Taking a deep breath and having his weapon at the ready, he opened the door.

"Shit!" Neji yelled, dodging a blow. What Sasuke saw was something he could never have possibly anticipated: the thing was like a giant robot, but with flesh and blood as well. It was at least ten feet tall and was in the shape of a tarantula, with legs that were both robotic and organic. It had a single robotic eye and was armed with guns and blades, and was swiping at Neji and Sakura.

Sasuke shot at it with his weapon, but the bullets were deflected. It turned its robotic eye onto him, and began shooting at him. Sasuke sprinted around it, a shower of shells raining down on his path as the creature continued to open fire.

He had an instant to glance at Sakura and Neji; Neji had blood pouring from a gash on his forehead and dribbling down over his face and clothes, and Sakura seemed to be having difficulty standing, and was clutching a wound at her side.

"Run! Backup is on the way! Get to the transport!" Sasuke yelled as he continued to alternate between dodging and firing at the creature.

_Why am I doing this? Why am I saving her? She isn't worth the effort..._

Just then, the creature extended one of its legs to be a claw, and swiped Sakura right off her feet. She let out a screech and struggled violently against its robotic vice. With horror, Neji and Sasuke both seemed to realize what its intentions were as the creature began to move towards the windows.

"I'm heading for backup," Neji said, jumping on the lift. Sasuke wanted to smack him for his apparent cowardice, but there was no time—the robot had already smashed through the windows and was holding Sakura out. It was a seventy foot drop, and then rocks and the ocean beneath that. Sasuke's heart was pounding in his ears as he darted out the door to the deck.

"Stay still, Sakura! Stop moving, dammit!" he yelled, shooting at the creature—but it was still deflecting his bullets. As the talons began to loosen, threatening to drop Sakura, Sasuke took a running jump and rammed into the arm, hanging onto it and causing the robot to hurl Sakura to the deck with his momentum. Sakura yelped in pain and struggled to get up as Sasuke distracted the robot, trying to kick its eye out with his boot as he clung to the arm, dangerously swinging over the edge, his legs flailing wildly. The robot tried to fire at him, but he was too close range for the guns to work. "Run! Get to the fucking transport!" Sasuke yelled at her, still trying to do some sort of damage to the thing.

"I can't leave you--"

"Tell them to come here! Just do it!" Sasuke interrupted before getting knocked into the wall of the tower. Despite the pain in her leg that even from afar Sasuke could tell was a break, Sakura ran back inside the building and to the lift.

With one arm to hold onto the robot and one arm to slash at it with his blades, Sasuke continued to attack, even as it tried to shake him off.

_What the hell is wrong with me? Why did I save her? This thing is probably going to kill me now. I just sacrificed myself for the most annoying person in the world. I don't even know her anymore, really. We're basically strangers..._

Sasuke was almost thrown into the watery depths, but he managed to grab onto the edge of the deck as his weapon met a darker fate and made a metallic shattering sound below. The robot tried to hit Sasuke's hands off the grate with its legs, but he kept moving; though his grip was beginning to slip on the grate as his hands perspired with fear and adrenaline.

_The only choice I have now is to outsmart the thing and run..._

Using the last of his strength, he vaulted himself back up onto the deck just before the robot landed on him again. He began running and ran inside the building again, but the robot just smashed through the wall. He moved to the lift, but it beat him to it and smashed it. It fell to the bottom floor with a sickening crunch.

He turned and sprinted back out to the ladder and began frantically climbing down, but the thing jumped down and stuck to the wall and with two free legs began antagonizing him and ripping the ladder from the wall, rung by rung.

The transport whizzed by and hovered near the tower, the back opening to reveal the entire team.

"Backup, my ass!" Sasuke yelled furiously as the robot finally landed a hit on him, nearly knocking him off. Blood splattered everywhere and Sasuke saw stars in his pain.

"Jump, Sasuke!" Sakura cried, moving to the very edge and holding out her hand. The robot began to shoot at the transport, giving Sasuke a free moment. With a deep breath, he let go of the ladder and sprang in the direction of the transport. For a split second, he was in free fall, and he thought it seemed more likely that he would miss the transport and die—but Sakura caught his hand.

"Hang on!" she warned as they pulled away from the tower, the robot still shooting and Sasuke still only holding onto Sakura's hand. Sasuke choked in pain and shock as a bullet landed in his leg, but Sakura's grip was tight enough that he didn't fall. Finally, she was able to pull him up onto the transport and the door lowered shut as they continued to speed away from the tower, the robot-spider still firing bullets at them.

Sasuke registered that Sakura had pulled him onto her lap and was clutching him, looking at his injuries.

"Just breathe, okay?" she said softly. Even in his pain, he could see that she was more injured than him. Behind her stood Neji, observing them. Sasuke felt the urge to punch him, but he didn't have the strength to stand.

"What the hell was that thing?" Sasuke demanded as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. Sakura shrugged, and opened her mouth to speak, but just then, fainted.

"Shit, she's lost too much blood. Hurry back to the academy! We don't have the equipment for a transfusion here," Kakashi snarled at Leena, who was piloting the transport. Sasuke's own blood ran cold at seeing Sakura looking so lifeless on the ground. He helped Itachi move her to one of the benches along the side of the transport and strap her down.

_Why do I care? It's not a big deal, right? She's just an old teammate. I shouldn't care this much..._

Sasuke's thoughts were in turmoil as they made the journey back to the academy.

–

In the infirmary a few hours later, Sasuke was having his wounds stitched up as they waited for Sakura's awakening. She was still unconscious but, according to the doctor (who was Shizune), she would be fine.

"This brings back memories of your days here," Shizune sighed as she cleaned up the wound where the bullet had been. Sasuke raised his eyebrows. "You were so screwed up—Sakura was _devoted_ to your case. I still say that if not for her, your spine never would have recovered as well as it did. Of course, if not for your spine, you two might have never met. A blessing in disguise," she said, pulling out clear dissolvable thread from a drawer. Sasuke balked. His _spine?_ What the hell had happened? But something that big would have been absurd to ask about. Though if he really had permanent damage on his spine, it would explain why he had had such trouble sparring with Sakura...

"Mmm."

"Well, you're good for now. I'm going to go check on Sakura-sama; I'll be back in a minute to fix up your side," she said, already bustling out the door, leaving Sasuke alone in the room.

His gaze slid to his file, which was a folder thick enough to be a novel. Would it hurt to look through it?

He inched off the bed and snatched it from the counterand began hurriedly flipping through it. Finally, he came across pages of notes.

_Patient still in a coma; severe trauma to skull and spine. Bullet wounds in leg and arm. Mission report states that the patient was thrown from enemy air shuttle; found two days later in Fleurian mountain range at undisclosed coordinates. Transfusion received three days ago at 1300 hours._

Sasuke stared in shock at the notes. They were signed by Intern Haruno...

_Patient awoke at 800 hours today. Lucid; slight confusion but no brain damage is apparent. Tried to walk but failed. Permanent damage to spine is obvious, but despite what Dr. Shizune says, recovery to at least eighty percent _is_ possible._

He continued to flip through the notes. As time passed, her language became more casual, until in the notes she was referring to him as Sasuke and not bothering with official medical lingo. It was evident that she had devoted most of her time to helping him recover. The notes seemed to document about a year and a half of his recuperation time—but even by three months, she had already had him walking, even if with the aid of crutches. Sasuke had to smile at this; yes, people he had met in this world were different from the ones he had known in his own world, but Sakura sounded exactly the same: stubborn, determined, and yes, annoying.

"Reminiscing?" Shizune interrupted, startling Sasuke into dropping the folder on the counter.

"Uh, sure," he replied a bit stiffly. Shizune frowned.

"I'm surprised you're not attacking me for information on your wife's condition. She's awake, by the way. Go see her when I'm done stitching up your side. Now, lay down."

Sasuke lay down, feeling Shizune prod and poke his side, before the needle sank into his skin and she began sewing. He stared at the lighting on the ceiling. So much had happened today—and he still had to prepare for tomorrow. Again, his thoughts drifted to Hebi. He would have given _anything_ to know about the condition of his platoon and whether they had gone ahead with the mission. He _ached_ to know. "Alright, all done. Go see Sakura," Shizune ordered. Sasuke nodded and left the room and headed for Sakura's room.

Hesitantly, he stepped inside the room. She was sitting upright, her head bandaged but no cast, surprisingly. Sasuke lingered by the door as Sakura stared at him.

"Please stop this," she spoke, her voice watery and quavery.

"....Stop what?"

"Being the guy you were when we were kids. Please stop. I know you're not a good guy anymore. So please...don't deceive me like this. I can't..." she choked out a sob, fat tears streaming down her face. Sasuke's eyes widened—he had not been expecting this. "...I can't take much more pain caused by you."

Sasuke bristled; he had just saved her life for god knows why and she was repaying him with this?

"Whatever," he said waspishly, and turned on his heel and left the infirmary.

–

"What a day," Kakashi groaned. The team was sitting around a table in the cafeteria, which was empty save for them. It was late into the night, but Leena and a woman named Rin had insisted they all have a casual meeting. Sakura and Sasuke were sitting next to each other out of necessity, but there was a frosty silence between them.

"Well, now we know that there is trouble brewing in Kalaia and probably elsewhere, and we also know that that..._thing,_ whatever it was, is out there. There are probably more like it," Itachi added grimly before taking a long drink of his beer.

As everyone discussed the mission's findings, Sebastian turned to Sakura, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay? You got pretty banged up out there, and you weren't in the best shape to begin with, thanks to your last mission," he asked gently. Sakura smiled at him, her heart fluttering in her chest. Just talking to Sebastian was enough to make her forget about Sasuke.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I thought I'd broken my leg but no harm done!" she said brightly. Sebastian smiled.

"I'm glad you're alright," he said slowly, gazing deeply into her eyes.

"So, I was thinking we really ought to organize a ball, you know?" Rin's voice penetrated the moment between them, and both Sebastian and Sakura looked over at her. "Leena had the idea, but I think it'd be great—relieve everyone's tension, have some fun, you know...also, we need to celebrate your big victory, Instructors," Rin turned to Sasuke and Sakura.

"Oh, that's really not..." Sakura began, but everyone interrupted her, insisting that a ball was entirely necessary.

"You know, you guys have been really awkward around each other lately," Kakashi spoke up. Sakura blushed hotly and Sasuke's scowl deepened. "Come on, let's see a kiss."

The group began chanting, 'kiss!' repeatedly (except for Sebastian) until Sakura and Sasuke couldn't take it anymore.

"We'll just kiss quickly," Sakura murmured to Sasuke. They angled their bodies towards each other, avoiding each other's eyes, and Sakura pecked Sasuke quickly on the cheek.

"No! That was so lame," Leena whined. "Howabout a real one?"

_They are torturing me. I have died and gone to hell, and now satan is torturing me,_ Sakura thought as she leaned in towards Sasuke again. Their eyes met and locked for a moment before Sasuke bent lower and pressed his lips to hers. Sakura could feel his eyelashes brush hers as he closed his eyes. The group cheered and clapped as they finally broke apart, slightly breathless.

"You guys are the best couple ever," Rin sighed, smiling at them. "It'll make everyone really happy to have a ball in your honor."

"...When will it be? We don't have a lot of extra time to plan," Sasuke replied, crossing his arms over his chest and looking completely normal and businesslike. Unlike Sakura. She refrained from sighing and slumped lower in her chair. _I can't believe this. I'm acting all flustered over _him. _He's a bad guy, and he's definitely not the Sasuke I knew five years ago. What is wrong with me?_

Plans for the ball were made without Sakura's input as she mulled over the day's events silently. She could feel Sebastian still staring at her, but she tried to ignore it. Everything was too oppressive suddenly—being so near Sasuke, being stared at by both Mai and Sebastian, the pain all over her body—it was all too much.

"I'm really tired...I think I'm going to go to bed early," she announced suddenly, standing up quickly and leaving, ignoring the protests from everyone else.

It was late so the halls were silent. Despite the fact that it hurt to walk too fast, she speed-walked to the apartment. She was so lost in her turmoil that she didn't realize someone had been following her until Mai grabbed her shoulder and stopped her, pulling her off to the side on the breezeway connecting the living quarters to the rest of the academy. Out here, the soft sounds of the ocean could be heard, and the moon was bright.

"Sorry about that," Sakura said immediately. "I just needed a break, that's all," she said quickly. Mai looked down at her blankly, making Sakura feel self-conscious.

They were silent for several minutes. At one point, Sasuke walked by, heading back to the apartment, but because they were hidden behind a pillar, he did not notice Sakura and Mai.

"They say that those with the greatest capacity for evil also have the greatest capacity for good," Mai said suddenly, after Sasuke was out of earshot. Sakura blinked. _It's almost like she knows..._ But Mai couldn't know about their situation. No one did. Here, in this world, Sasuke was a hero and seemed to only have capacity for good. "Just think about that," she said pointedly. "Good night, Sakura."

Shocked, Sakura watched Mai turn and go back from whence they had come. Finally, Sakura turned and went back to the apartment, slightly dreading interacting with Sasuke.

–

Oddly enough, Sasuke wasn't tired yet, and not only that, he also did not want to have to see Sakura just yet. He had noticed that there were docks near the living quarters, so he changed out of his uniform and into a white undershirt and black standard-issue pants and went to explore the docks.

All was silent save for the gentle sound of the waves lapping up against the wood of the dock. A few small boats and vehicles that looked like motorcycles for the water were tied up, but there were no major boats. _These are probably the soldiers' personal watercraft, _Sasuke deduced as he strolled along the docks. It was peaceful and quiet, and for the first time since he had arrived in this strange world, he felt calm.

The tide was high. Sasuke walked along one dock that stretched out further in the ocean. It was a couple hundred feet long, and when he reached the end, it felt like he was walking on water in the middle of the ocean. The lights and sounds of the academy were far away; the only light he had was the light from the full moon. He sat down and folded his legs up against his chest and wrapped his arms around them, resting his chin on his knees.

It was strange, he realized, how in different given environments he behaved so differently. Back in the days of team seven, he had done good things. When he was with Orochimaru and then later with Madara, he had done what many might consider bad things. And now, here, he had saved Sakura and Neji without even really thinking twice. It had been easier than it should have been to put his life on the line for people he didn't even really know, or technically care about.

That meant he was influenced easily by those around him. Did that mean he was a weak person? He didn't like to think of it that way, but the truth of the matter was staring him down now. He had done what he had done with team seven because that was what he had wanted to do. And helping Orochimaru and Madara had been steps towards his goal of revenge...but now that he was so removed from that situation, the steps seemed convoluted and unnecessary.

And it became clearer and clearer that he had been the one that had been used.

He froze when he heard footsteps nearby. It was the sound of bare feet padding along. Turning his head slightly, he saw Sakura in a white sleeveless shirt and sweats walking towards him a bit timidly. He turned to look back at the ocean. Somehow...he still didn't want to face her.

Sakura walked towards him and crouched down behind him.

"Hey," she said awkwardly.

"Hn," Sasuke responded, tensing slightly.

"I shouldn't have said those things. You saved my life today. Even if it was part of the act...thanks, I guess."

Sasuke frowned. It hadn't been part of the act, surprisingly. Kissing her had, definitely, but saving her life was something he had done without contemplating it. "You could have just pretended to not get there in time or something, but you didn't," she added. "Mai told me..." Sakura paused, suddenly feeling choked up, "that those with the greatest capacity for evil also have the greatest capacity for good..."

"It's just a saying," Sasuke replied. "Good and evil are subjective terms. You have to know all sides of the story before judging something like that."

He thought she was going to get mad or argue, but she merely rolled up her pantlegs and let her legs hang off the dock and in the water.

"You're right. I don't know your circumstances. But you still hurt a lot of people, you know. Not just me. Naruto thought of you as someone even closer than family. And let's face it..." he could hear the smile in her voice, "you were Kakashi's favorite student. He identified with you so much. I think...he still does."

Sasuke felt angry at this. Didn't she realize that not only had he lost his family, but to get to killing Itachi and to where he was now, he had continued to hurt himself? Orochimaru's training had been both physical and emotional pain.

"You don't know what's happened to me," Sasuke said finally. "You never will. You say I hurt you guys? You'll never experience the pain I have experienced these past five years. Never," he said coldly.

This too he had thought would make her go away, but she didn't leave.

"You're probably right about that too. But...you let it happen. No, you _asked_ for it to happen."

He didn't want to admit that this was true, so he remained silent. "You can be a good man here. You can be the person we all thought you were going to be. It could be years before we return. This...this is your chance. You have your family in this world. You don't need to feel so much pain. You...can just be."

He felt her hand on his shoulder. He turned to look back at her.

"Why are you being so nice now?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. She chuckled and shook her head.

"What Mai said made me think. That's all. I'm going to go back to the apartment and get some sleep. Come back when you're ready. ...Good night, Sasuke," she said as she stood and took her hand off of his shoulder. He watched her pad softly back to the port and go back inside, leaving him to mull over what she had said.

_Come back when you're ready._

Yes, in many ways, she was still the same Sakura he had always known. But in other ways...she was very, very different.


	5. 4: Time to Pretend

Isekai

Author's Note: I've actually written three different versions of this chapter, all entirely different, but this is the one I decided on. It has taken many hours after work at Starbucks, sitting with a venti latte and brooding brattily in the direction of the computer a la Sasuke. --dodges chidori-- This being said I'm still not sure about it, but I'm happy with the writing itself. SPECIAL THANKS TO MUSICALNATURE AND NANAMISAKURACHAN!

Chapter Four: Time to Pretend

The library's silence was a relief to Sakura; her first day of teaching had been a long and admittedly hectic one, filled with stumbling over her own words, back-tracking, and frantically reading up on the battle strategies of this world.

The library was a separate wing, located next to the apartments for the faculty of the academy. It was hexagonal in shape, with a courtyard in the center for reading outside. The sun was hanging low in the sky; it was almost the end of the day. A few students were working at the terminals in the computer section of the library, but for the most part, it was pleasantly empty.

"Can I help you...?" a shy-looking cadet with poorly dyed green hair plaited into two braids and owl-like glasses inched towards Sakura timidly. She had a tag on her breast pocket that read 'Lila Worthington, 3rd year, Librarian and Technician.'

"I'm just looking around, thanks," Sakura said, waving her hand to look casual.

"You're sure? You don't need to check on an order or need help finding a book? Because I can help," Lila insisted, nodding as she spoke. Sakura couldn't help but smile at the girl's desire to help.

"No, really, I'm fine. Thanks though," she reassured the younger girl. Sakura watched as Lila returned to her desk and immediately went back to working on fixing some piece of technology. _She seems so nice...I hope I can get to know her better,_ Sakura thought as she turned back to wandering around.

She sat down at one of the terminals and began poking around the intranet, and came upon the directory.

_I wonder if Sasuke and I are in here...maybe we'll find some more information..._ Sakura typed in her own name and waited for the system to load. A picture of herself came up, clearly taken recently. She looked un-photogenic as usual (apparently that wasn't something that changed from world to world) and was smiling a bit tightly, clearly unhappy with having her photo taken.

_Sakura Haruno Uchiha_

_Age: 23_

_Height: 161 cm_

_Weight: 45.4 kg_

_Hometown: Unknown_

_Family: None_

_Rank: Instructor, Officer, Mercenary_

_Accomplishments and Awards: Became head nurse of infirmary at age 17, shut down reactor in Chun Wu at age 19 single-handedly, disabled nuclear weapon implanted in Lower Fleuria at age 20, developed remedy for the pandemic of year a2305 at age 21 with Dr. Kabuto, became Instructor of Battle Strategies at age 22, married Instructor Sasuke Uchiha at age 22, ended war with Tylisia at age 23. _

Sakura's blood ran cold as she read through the short biography. The accomplishments, the ranks, they meant nothing—all she could see was the fact that she had no apparent family or place of birth. Were they dead, or had they abandoned her?

_Mom...Dad..._

So then, in this world, she was alone.

–

Sasuke trudged along the halls back to the apartment, thankful that the day was finally over—though fearing the next day, when it would all happen again. Between classes he had looked around for information regarding cross-world travel, but as he had suspected, there was nothing.

He glanced out one of the windows along the halls unintentionally, but something caught his eye. He paused to move closer, and spotted Sakura walking along towards the docks, clearly in a daze. Her eyes were sad and half-lidded, and her arms were wrapped around herself protectively.

_She's probably just tired. I should ignore it,_ he thought, turning away and resuming trekking back to the apartment.

_But what if she's found out something about going back to our own world? _He stopped when this occurred to him. _But with that expression on her face, it's bound to be bad news. _

"Uchiha!" someone called, pulling Sasuke from his pondering. He looked back to see Dr. Shizune striding towards him, looking extremely irritated.

"What?"

She caught up with him and stood close to him, glaring threateningly at him. "Your wife is out there, looking miserable, and I just saw you look out the window at her so I know you saw her. Go out there and make sure she's okay!" she hissed.

"No. I'm busy, and if she wants to talk about whatever is bothering her, she'll talk. Now, excuse me," Sasuke said, beginning to walk again, but Shizune's firm grip on his shoulder stopped him.

"You know as well as I do that she _won't_ talk about it. Go. Now," Shizune ordered, pointing towards the docks. "I'm ordering you, and I outrank you, so you _have_ to listen to me."

"...Fine," Sasuke said sulkily, and began walking towards the exit to the docks.

Sakura had stopped to stand and gaze out at the waves, the breeze causing her hair to fly about. Sasuke stuffed his hands in his pockets and shuffled towards her and stood next to her.

"Hey," he mumbled, still feeling daggers of irritation towards Shizune.

"Hi," Sakura replied.

They stood in awkward silence, staring at the ocean and the sky that was showing the beginnings of sunset.

"I looked for stuff on getting back home," Sasuke said, breaking the silence. "...there was nothing."

"I'm not surprised," Sakura replied. Sasuke let out a sigh of frustration. He wasn't used to being the one to make conversation.

"....Is there something you need to talk about?" he finally asked. _Might as well get to the point. _

"It seems like in this world we've switched places. I have no living family here," Sakura said dismally. "There was no information on my hometown or anything."

_What am I supposed to say? It's not like they're gone. But...it still hurts probably._

He couldn't think of anything to say, no matter how he racked his brains. The truth was, there was nothing to say for the loss of family. People could tell you they were sorry, but it still didn't make up for the new gap in your life.

The matching wedding bands on their hands were glinting in the dying light, reminding Sasuke that they were married. He turned to her and grabbed her hand, pointing to their rings.

"I'm your family here," he said. Sakura's eyes flickered over their hands, and she smiled. "Just like how..." he paused, unsure of whether to confess this particular thing. "...you and Naruto and Kakashi were my family back then."

Without warning, Sakura flung her arms around him, burying her face into his shoulder. Sasuke awkwardly patted her back, until finally she released him and wiped her eyes with the heel of her hand, much in the manner of a child.

"Thanks. I feel better already," she said, laughing a little bit at herself. "I'm just being an idiot," she added, turning towards the academy.

_You're not,_ Sasuke thought,but he didn't voice that thought. "Let's go get dinner. I'm starved!" Sakura announced cheerfully, already walking back towards the entrance. _She hides her feelings much more than she used to..._ he observed, feeling a twinge of respect for her. In the genin days, there was not a complaint of hers that was not known by all around her. Now, it seemed, she had learned to internalize things. _Just like me and Naruto..._

When they got inside, Shizune was still there, pretending to be occupied with a bit of the floor.

"Hello, Dr. Shizune," Sakura said, waving. Shizune nodded, but sent Sasuke a thumbs-up before walking away. Sakura's head whipped around to give Sasuke a questioning raise of the eyebrows.

"Why did she just give you a thumbs up?"

"Nothing," Sasuke replied sourly. "Forget it."

The cafeteria was packed with students as well as instructors eating their dinner. The noise level was at a maximum; people were shouting across the room and laughing loudly. As soon as they entered, Kiba, Mai, Kakashi, Leena, and Rin waved them over to their table which seemed to be designated for faculty.

"Fantastic. Just what I feel like doing after a long day of talking: more talking!" Sasuke said sarcastically as they walked towards their fellow instructors. Sakura smacked him lightly on the arm, but she couldn't agree more. She felt drained—all she really wanted to do was go back to the apartment and sleep, but that wasn't an option. They had to keep up appearances; they couldn't avoid people forever.

"You guys look beat. Long day?" Kiba greeted them as they sat down. "You gonna eat or just sit here?"

"Oh. Right," Sakura said, standing up again. Sasuke followed her to the line where they received their food from heavy set middle-aged women in hairnets.

"No tomatoes," Sasuke commented disappointedly after examining the options. Sakura laughed as she held out her tray to receive a bowl of....some unidentifiable food.

After finally getting their food and navigating through the packs of students back to their table, they were able to rest.

"So isn't your six month anniversary coming up this weekend?" Rin asked them, pushing away her salad which had been barely touched, explaining her thin and somewhat fragile-looking form. Sakura and Sasuke glanced at each other.

"Um...yeah! You're right!" Sakura exclaimed awkwardly, trying to look as though this wasn't much of a surprise. "Time just uh..."

"Flies," Sasuke supplied. Leena seemed to perk up immediately, a somewhat dangerous looking spark in her hazel eyes.

"So are you going to celebrate? Because you should. You guys really deserve a break, you know? Oh gosh, and you could go to some cute little bed and breakfast in South Gaulin, and spend a weekend away from all this crap..." Leena sighed dreamily, resting her chin in her manicured hands.

"That sounds stupid. They should go to the amusement park in Fleuria!" Kiba countered, pounding his fist on the table. Leena rolled her eyes.

"Such a man," she clucked irritably. "Really, you should make plans now, before you get sucked into some mission or something."

"Or they could go to one of the love hotels in Camillei," Kakashi suggested with a wink.

"Yes, some lovely little shithole where the bedsheets get changed once a year and are stained with unknown bodily fluids and the toilets don't flush. Sounds irresistible," Leena said sarcastically. "Where do I sign up?"

Throughout the entire conversation, neither Sasuke or Sakura had uttered a peep.

_All of these options sound horrible. If I could go without him, it'd be much more of a vacation..._Sakura thought, sighing._ We are getting along better, but what if that much time alone wrecks that?_

_A weekend alone with her? What did I do to deserve this?_ Sasuke thought in a panic. _I can just picture it: I'll get all sorts of lectures on my failure as a person and she'll insist that we train or something. Oh shit...what if we're expected to do 'couple' things, like go on picnics?_

"Hm, that's funny. You both look really miserable right now," Rin observed.

"Just uh...thinking about how it's likely we'll make reservations somewhere and have to cancel them for some mission anyway," Sakura said quickly.

"You're so right. Novia's such an ass about these things," Rin said, obviously buying Sakura's story. "You should make the plans right after dinner and notify him and make sure he knows you won't be available. Maybe you could even leave a day early!"

"I still think you should go to the beach in South Gaulin," Leena said. "Just think of it: spending the morning in bed, eating delicious pastries, then going to the beach, going for a picnic in those gorgeous fields of wild flowers..."

_Not the damn picnic. Kill me now_, Sasuke thought, sinking deeper into his chair miserably.

"Oh, and they have those adorable little restaurants that you could go to. They have live music too! And the craft fairs there are so interesting," Rin added enthusiastically. "And Sasuke, your parents live on the way there, right? You could drop by on the way."

"And we could go shopping beforehand so you have cute new clothes to wear! And, of course, cute _underwear_..." Leena said suggestively, wiggling her eyebrows. Sakura blushed so deeply that her hair looked less pink by comparison.

"WELL I think that's enough dinner for us both. Come on Sasuke, we have work to do..." Sakura shot up suddenly, dragging Sasuke along with no mercy.

"Look, they're getting frisky just thinking about it!" Kakashi said pleasantly. That was the last thing Sasuke heard before they fled the cafeteria.

"Goddammit, we are doomed," Sakura said as she stomped along the halls back to the apartment. "We get no rest from being the newest cute couple. No rest!" she seethed. "And now, we're stuck doing this stupid holiday."

"As long as we don't have to do the picnic, I don't care," Sasuke replied. They reached the apartment and went inside.

"I agree," Sakura said, throwing herself onto the bed. "Or romantic candlelit dinners. We're definitely not doing that either."

"And absolutely no craft fairs. We do craft fairs, I burn down the damn village."

"No craft fairs," Sakura agreed. She heard Sasuke slam the door to the bathroom shut and begin showering. And only one thought crossed her mind:

_He's naked._

"Kill me now..." Sakura groaned into the pillow. "Please, just kill me now."

–

"Ooh, this would look fabulous on you. Bring out your eyes and all," Tenten gushed, holding up a jade green slinky dress with spaghetti straps and a neckline so low that a bra was out of the question. It was made of soft chiffon and flared out at the knees so that if the wearer twirled, the dress would become a perfect circle.

"It's a bit...little," Sakura said disdainfully, looking down at the tiny garment.

"Exactly," Leena said devilishly. "Perfect for a mini break with your new husband."

"Eh...how about this?" Sakura asked brightly, holding up a red sweater. Leena, Rin, and Tenten seemed to collectively glare at her.

"No sweaters. It's going to be warm weather. You need light things." Rin held up the dress again. "I'm getting this for you, and you have to wear it. No buts," she said, marching to the cashier. Sakura covered her face with her hands, groaning.

"What's so wrong with things that cover the body?" she asked helplessly.

"It's not like Sasuke hasn't seen you naked before. You're acting like you guys have never done it or something!" Leena scolded. Sakura flushed bright red and tried to avoid making eye contact with Leena. Just the thought of doing..._that_...with Sasuke was...oh god, she couldn't even finish the thought. It was both horrifying and intriguing, and the fact that it was so intriguing made it all the more horrifying.

"Oh my god. You haven't." Rin realized, her voice flat with utter shock. The group went silent.

"We uh...do it all the time! Really! It's just...a very personal thing!" Sakura squeaked, walking away and pretending to be fascinated by a white shirt. The other women were still staring at Sakura in shock and horror.

"You haven't done it with your husband of six months. You are still a virgin," Tenten confirmed, her eyes wide. But Sakura couldn't even speak.

_Of course I'm still a virgin! I'm SEVENTEEN! _She thought in frustration, though she of course could not voice that thought.

"All the more need for this," Leena said finally, patting the shopping bag. "And now...we need lots and lots of lingerie. Really sexy lingerie, too. What's the problem? Can he not...you know..." the blond leaned in closer to whisper, "get it up?"

"NO!" Sakura cried, trying (and failing) to banish that image from her mind.

"So you're too scared?" Tenten asked sympathetically, patting her on the back.

"Um—sure. That's it," Sakura said finally, hoping this would end the conversation. Unfortunately...

"Okay, this calls for serious lingerie. To Love and Lace!" Leena cried, pointing across the road to a store that was the embodiment of everything Sakura was against: the objectification of women as purely sexual creatures, overtly slutty garments, and black lace.

Three shopping bags full of lingerie that Sakura still didn't quite understand how to operate later, her shopping companions were finally satisfied that she was, indeed, ready to go on her mini break with Sasuke.

"And if it hurts at first, don't worry, that's totally normal," Leena reassured on the way back to the academy in the transport. "You'll be sore for a bit, but it will be absolutely fine."

"You might not like it the first time, but the second time, I guarantee you'll really get into it," Tenten added with a wink. Sakura slumped against the seat, feeling that this was the worst torture she had ever endured, at least since she was twelve and found out that Ino was a full cup size bigger than her already and felt the need to remind her of it as often as possible.

Finally, they relinquished her and she made her way back to the apartment. All of the arrangements had been made: tomorrow, they were to leave for South Gaulin, with a stop at Sasuke's parents for one night.

_That won't be awkward at all..._ Sakura thought sarcastically, punching in the code to unlock the door (they had agreed that the pass code be 'ichiraku').

Sasuke apparently was not there. Sakura could only guess at where he might be, so she dropped her bags on the bed and sat down, the exhaustion weighing her down. _The saddest part is that I kind of had fun today..._ she thought, feeling exasperated with herself. _Sometimes I forget that I'm a girl._

–

Sasuke had spent several hours grading papers (using old papers as a means of determining the grades) and had been ready for a chance to get away from his desk. They were leaving tomorrow for the 'break' so he had been trying to get his work done ahead of time.

_It's strange how comfortable I already am getting with this life..._ he thought as he poked around the halls of the academy. He was in the arts wing, which was less of a wing and more of a handful of tiny rooms containing unused arts supplies. One room held some instruments. Sasuke opened the door and glanced around, vaguely intrigued. He had only played the flute at the behest of his mother and the strong chagrin of himself, and through the experience learned that he had some musical inclination, though very little interest.

He found himself walking further into the room and settling at the baby grand piano, covered in dust. He plunked out a few tunes, including a nursery rhyme song that his brother had taught him and a traditional Konohan song that he had learned on the flute.

_Weird...it's been forever since I've heard music..._he thought as his fingers found a melody all on their own. He barely had control over them as the room filled with a delicate tune that sounded vaguely familiar. _Why do I know how to play this?_

But he just continued to play. The melody ascended, becoming more and more intense. The strangest thing was...he thought of Sakura immediately. It was so clearly about her. He could so easily picture her, turning to smile, or getting that determined look on her face before sparring, or hiding her true feelings behind a laugh and a smile. He could see her when she cut her hair off, the pink strands falling to the ground. He could see her trying to stop him from leaving Konoha.

"I remember when you were first writing that for her," Itachi's voice broke the melody, freezing Sasuke's fingers. He turned to see Itachi standing in the doorway. The older man stepped forward a bit hesitantly, smiling slightly. "Practicing for when you play it for her this weekend?"

Sasuke could only stare at his brother.

"I..."

"It's okay, I know you don't like people to know how sappy you are," he teased as he sat down next to Sasuke on the bench. "When I first heard it I was shocked at how emotional of a piece it was. Gave me a view of you I'd never had before," Itachi confessed, his own long fingers, so like Sasuke's, picking out another melody.

"I didn't realize I knew it so well," Sasuke replied, knowing Itachi didn't know how honest that statement was.

"The mind forgets but the body remembers," Itachi said simply, advancing to a more complicated song. "I would have thought I'd be more gifted in music. I used to like to think of myself as more refined than you," he said, his music now filling the room. Sasuke found he could not speak, not if it had depended on his life. So many emotions were filling his mind now that he would have considered himself lucky to pick even one out among the rest. "The song really describes Sakura, I think. You can't help but think of her when you hear it."

For a long time, Sasuke watched Itachi's fingers move along the keys. He was unable to speak. There were so many things he had wished he could say to his brother, but because this was a different life, they were irrelevant. Here, they both could just be who they were, without the manipulation of old men who thought of themselves as knowing 'better.'

_So far, I have spent my entire life being manipulated by others. This freedom is so new..._ Sasuke thought, still staring at Itachi. _My entire family was manipulated by others...a cycle of pain and manipulation._

_...How can I break that cycle?_

–

"You guys don't even need to do anything---the coordinates have been put in to the transport, so just sit back and relax!" Lila said, holding up the keypad she had put the coordinates into. Their luggage had been loaded onto the small transport (slinky lingerie included, much to Sakura's displeasure) and they were about ready to go.

"Here, Sakura," Shizune muttered, edging closer to Sakura with a small bottle of pills. "I heard about your, uh...problem. Slip these into your drinks and you guys will have no issues," she said, winking and handing Sakura the bottle. Sakura stared witheringly at Shizune.

"Thanks," she said flatly, stuffing the pills into her pocket with every intention of tossing them out the window once they were on the road.

"Oh, you guys are going to have so much fun! And remember to contact us on the web cam before you go out to dinner so we can see how you look!" Leena gushed, winking at Sakura. Sakura laughed, but stopped short when she realized that Sebastian was hanging back, staring at her longingly. She smiled a bit awkwardly at him and waved, causing his face to light up. She refrained from wincing and turned to Sasuke, who was being handed something in wrapping paper by Kakashi.

"You ready, then?" she asked, feeling everyone's eyes on her. Sasuke nodded, and without another word, climbed into the transport. Sakura turned and waved and everyone called their goodbyes as she followed him into the transport.

Finally, they were off, the beautiful scenery of Gaulin speeding by. As they headed further south, there were fewer signs of civilization and more wildflowers.

"It really is a beautiful country," Sakura commented after several minutes of somewhat strained silence. "Really...idyllic."

"Looks like Konoha," Sasuke replied, pressing his fingers against the glass and staring out at it. Seeing the meadows and the pretty wildflowers swaying in the breeze made him think of the song he had 'written' on the piano. Stealing a glance at Sakura, he noticed that she was lost in the world outside, her eyes lit up with joy at seeing the beauty around them. "L-less trees though," he added, for some reason feeling uncomfortable in his own skin.

"Are you nervous about seeing your parents?" she turned back to him.

_Am I? I don't even know. Somehow...I don't want to see them. It will be too painful. _Sasuke sighed, shrugging. Sakura gave a knowing smile. "You should let yourself enjoy it. Don't think too much about it."

All too soon, they had arrived at the destination. Sasuke took a deep breath, preparing himself for what promised to be painful. The transport door slid open, revealing more of the meadows they had been riding through all morning. But to the right...

"Wow, looks like being rich isn't something that changes from world to world!" Sakura exclaimed upon seeing the house. Or rather, mansion. It was an enormous dwelling, its mahogany trim gleaming in the sun. Behind it was the glittering ocean. Balconies and decks dotted the mansion—they seemed to treasure the outdoors more than the indoors. "It's beautiful."

"...Yeah," Sasuke finally said, his voice cracking. He glared as Sakura laughed at him.

"Come on, let's go. You can do it, okay?" she patted him on the shoulder, grinning. He resisted the urge to swat at her, and began walking with her towards the place that he was supposed to call 'home.'

"Fugaku! Fugaku! They're here!" Mikoto burst through the doors without warning, tackling her son and startling the couple nearly to death. "Oh my god, you haven't been eating again, have you?" she pulled back to hold her son's face in her hands and glare at him. "I'm proud of you as can be, but you're a real idiot sometimes. Venturing off into the unknown like that...you're no better than when you were a toddler trying to get up onto the stove!" she sniffed loudly before whirling around to Sakura. "And YOU. Look at you!" she grabbed Sakura and smacked her stomach. "Not pregnant with grandchildren yet, I see. And that's all I ever asked for in this life...just a grandchild, or ten..." she sniffed loudly once again and turned just in time to see Fugaku coming out of the house, holding a cane.

_I didn't realize how old they would be...but then, I suppose Itachi must be at least thirty,_ Sakura thought, gazing at Sasuke's parents. It was obvious that stunning good looks were genetic: Fugaku had given Sasuke his strong jaw and perfect posture (he stood straight even with a cane) and Mikoto had given Sasuke her pale, even skin and onyx-black hair and eyes. However, both her and Fugaku's hair were streaked with silver—but it made them both look more elegant, rather than older.

"No grandchildren yet?" Fugaku asked gruffly, jabbing his cane towards Sakura. She blushed.

"Not yet, sorry..." she stammered. Fugaku rolled his eyes and began going back inside.

"Come back when you've got me grandchildren," he called back, waving his cane. Mikoto snorted and began leading Sakura and Sasuke inside.

"Ignore that old fool. His arthritis is acting up and he's cranky. Come inside, we made food! Oh, I'm so happy that you came to visit. Your father is too; he nearly had a stroke he was so excited when he found out!" Mikoto confided in them as they went inside. Sakura laughed but saw Sasuke—he was pale and in shock.

_I can't imagine how hard this must be for him..._ It was a sobering thought that it had been ten years since he had last seen them alive and living.

"Mom," Sasuke finally spoke, stopping Mikoto in her tracks. She turned, raising her eyebrows in the expression that Sakura had gotten to know so well from Sasuke. It was strange to see so much of what she knew of Sasuke in someone else.

"Yes?"

Sasuke flung his arms around his mother tightly, nearly squashing her small form in the process. Sakura's jaw dropped. _Sasuke has _never _hugged anyone. Ever._

"Oh! Sasuke! Yes, I missed you too," Mikoto laughed, patting her son's back. Sasuke did not relinquish his hold on his mother, and buried his face in her hair. Mikoto shot Sakura a look of confusion, but all Sakura did was shrug and smile. "Sasuke, what has gotten into you? You're never this affectionate!" Mikoto teased as Sasuke let go at length.

_I can't believe this version of me isn't more affectionate...what is wrong with me? _Sasuke thought, wrinkling his nose as he followed Mikoto and Sakura into the house. Mikoto was chatting at Sakura about the new renovations, and Sakura was smiling and doing a superb job of looking interested. It all felt so...normal. He could almost believe that he himself had fallen in love with and married Sakura and was now taking her home for a quick visit to his parents—who were alive and well, and not weighed down by sadness as they had been in the years before the massacre. _It was almost like they knew, somehow._

It was shocking when Sasuke realized that this, exactly this, was all he had wanted for the past ten years.

–

Verda Linda was a village situated on a peninsula, guarded only by a white-washed picket fence and wildflowers. The ninja instinct embedded in both Sasuke and Sakura screamed at the profound lack of defense, but then again, what was there worth attacking in a village like this?

The town consisted of a few bed and breakfasts, a church, some shops and restaurants, and a handful of houses lining the outskirts. Just beyond the edge of town was the rocky coast. Sakura had been picturing a more tropical setting when she had heard about the beach, but the water here was cold and green, not warm and vibrant blue. In a way, she preferred this.

After checking in at the bed and breakfast (and having an awkward moment upon seeing the heart-shaped canopy bed), they had decided to go check out the beach. Now, Sakura was locked inside the bathroom, wanting to kill herself. At the time, it had seemed like a brilliant idea to let Leena and Tenten pack her suitcase for her. Now...perhaps not so much.

Despairingly, she stared at her options for clothing: tiny white shorts and a red spaghetti-strap top with matching red sandals, the jade dress that Rin had purchased with strappy silver heels, a knee-length filmy pink printed sun dress and pink sandals, and a khaki skirt with a green sleeveless blouse (and of course the dreaded lingerie). None of these things covered half as much as she was used to and would have liked, and even if some of the things covered more, they were entirely frivolous. She was a ninja, not some sort of fashionista! She slumped down and banged her head against the door.

"What's taking you so long?" Sasuke called from the bedroom, irritation distinct in his voice. Sakura groaned.

"Never trust Leena and Tenten with clothing," she replied dismally. Sasuke rolled his eyes and pried the door open, much to Sakura's chagrin. Luckily she was still covered by one of the fluffy white towels that had been provided. Sasuke glanced over at the outfits laid out on the floor of the bathroom, and looked back at Sakura, nonplussed.

"What's wrong?"

Sakura twitched. "Do you _see_ them? I haven't worn anything that slutty in my life!"

Sasuke looked at the clothes and looked back at Sakura witheringly.

"Wasn't it you who wanted to have fun this weekend?"

"Yes, but I am not sacrificing my morals--"

"Sakura, just pick one and wear it. I want to leave—the potpourri in here is causing me to asphyxiate," Sasuke said irritably. Sakura sighed. "They're not slutty; you're just not used to wearing things not meant for sparring. Get over yourself." At that, he exited the bathroom, slamming the door. She heard him open all of the windows, trying to breathe in the fresh air.

_Well...I guess they're not slutty. At least, not by anyone else's standards. And...I kind of am curious about how I would look..._

Sakura pulled on the pink sun dress and slipped her feet into the sandals, adding on the dangling earrings that had been purchased especially for the dress. After taking a deep breath, she turned to the mirror to see how ridiculous she looked. _Everyone knows I look idiotic in girly clothes; this is going to be so embarrassing--_

And then she saw her reflection, and her jaw dropped.

The pink made her skin look more luminous and pretty, and complemented her green eyes perfectly. The dress was cut to have a drop-waist, lengthening her torso. The lack of sleeves showed off her thin, lithe arms. And she was shocked when she realized that even Ino would be jealous of how she looked.

"Are you ready yet? I'm dying," Sasuke called from outside the door. Sakura bit her lip, feeling jittery with nervousness. She was excited for Sasuke to see her, but at the same time, worried that he might not notice or care. _Since when do I care what he thinks? _She thought sassily, but then slumped. _Oh, right. Since day one._

She ran a brush through her hair and slipped her feet into the pink sandals that her friends had picked out for her, and after taking a deep breath, turned the knob to open the door, her heart pounding.

"Come on, I'm—oh." Sasuke stopped mid-sentence when he saw Sakura. "You're ready. Let's go," he said flatly.

He stormed out of the room ahead of her, forgetting to put on his shoes he was in such a hurry. Sakura sighed as she heard him walk down the hall, stop, realize he was missing his shoes, and storm back. He did not let his eyes wander to her as he grabbed his shoes and stuffed his feet into them.

_He won't even look at me. He probably thinks I look ugly. Great,_ she thought, sighing and following him out the door, locking it with the key that they had been given. It had a little stuffed animal of a kitten holding a rose attached to it. It was so absurdly cutesy, just as the entire bed and breakfast was.

Sasuke kept walking, keeping his eyes straight ahead and not even responding when the hostess of the bed and breakfast asked him a question. Behind him, Sakura stopped to answer her, but he continued on, exploding through the front doors and onto the porch.

_Dammit. Why does she have to wear that? It's not slutty, but..._ he stole a glance backwards through the glass doors, where Sakura was putting up with the rather-long winded woman with a forced smile. Upon seeing her, his mouth went dry and he felt his fingers twitch, as though he wanted to reach out and touch her. _Gah, since when was Sakura so pretty?_

Sakura came out the front doors finally, and when their eyes met her cheeks flushed.

"So...beach, right?" she said, her fingers reaching shakily inside her purse to pull out a map that they had found of the town.

"Uh, yeah," he replied, shoving his hands in the pockets of his khakis and looking away.

Sakura hid behind the map, although she wasn't even looking at it. The town was so small that the idea of bothering with a map was ludicrous, but she used the opportunity to try and regroup. _Don't get so flustered, dammit! He's an idiot anyway. Nothing can actually happen, so there's no point in letting yourself feel awkward. He's stupid, and evil. He's an enemy._

"I...uh, I think it's this way," Sakura said, pointing to the clearly visible beach. _Way to go, genius,_ she berated herself as they began walking along the dirt road, the stones crunching under their sandaled feet.

The houses were all straight out of fairy tales: enormous gardens with the most beautiful flowers were everywhere, with butterflies fluttering about. Children played in the town square by the fountain, laughing and singing. It was so strikingly like Konoha that both Sakura and Sasuke were getting chills, but for different reasons. For Sakura, it was because this felt the place she had lived her whole life that was now in ashes on the ground. For Sasuke, it was because Konoha was the place he had been intending to destroy. When he saw a child that resembled Naruto strongly, he felt sick to his stomach. It was hard to summon the desire for Konoha's destruction when he saw all of this.

When they left out of the south gate, the soil became increasingly sandy, until there was no grass and they had finally reached the shores. There were only a few yards of beach, and large, mossy rocks dotted what little beach there was.

Sakura kicked off her sandals and dropped her purse down next to them and trotted to the water, going up to her knees. The water was like icy fingers wrapping themselves around her calves, but it was still refreshing—the day was quite warm. She turned around to see Sasuke standing at the edge of the water, his arms crossed.

"It's kind of chilly," she called back to him. Sasuke bent down and rolled up the hems of his khakis before venturing in.

To anyone else, they looked like the ideal couple: Sasuke was tall, dark, and handsome, and Sakura looked pretty and delicate, resembling the flower she had been named for more than she ever had in her life. _If people knew the truth..._ Sasuke thought darkly, jumping slightly to avoid a wave. As he landed, he felt something hit his thigh—it was the camera that Itachi had handed him before they had left. _Take pictures for mom and dad,_ he had said.

"Wait, stay there," Sasuke said to Sakura. He reached into his pocket and slipped out the small camera, turning it over in his hands to see how it worked. Sakura turned to look back him, her messy short hair whipping around her face in the breeze, the hem of her sun dress damp from the ocean and sticking to her thighs. He held the camera up to his eyes, his index finger hovering near the 'capture' button.

He could have just said that he had forgotten to take pictures, or that the camera had broken. He could have done a lot of things to get out of using the camera. But for some reason, he wanted to take the picture. He wanted to have it. He could even visualize where he would put it on his desk, and what kind of frame he would have for it. Sakura's eyes widened when she saw what he was doing, and held up her hands to hide herself from the lens.

He pressed the button, and captured her just before her hands hid her face.

–

"This is only marginally embarrassing," Sakura commented sarcastically as they adjusted themselves in front of the monitor. Her green glass earrings jingled as she moved closer to Sasuke reluctantly, only doing so because otherwise she was not visible to the web cam.

Sasuke ignored her and continued setting up. Finally, he turned on the monitor and put in the number to contact everyone at the academy. After a few moments, Neji and Itachi appeared on screen.

"Hey guys," Sakura greeted, laughing a bit. Neji's eyes went directly to Sakura's chest and his cheeks turned pink.

"I'll, uh, get Leena and Rin and Tenten for you," he said awkwardly before speeding off screen. Itachi snickered and shook his head.

"You look beautiful as usual, Sakura," he said pleasantly. He looked at Sasuke. "Try not to act like too much of a dork, little brother."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Sasuke replied flatly, glowering at Itachi. Suddenly, the girls appeared, pushing Itachi out of the way. Leena shrieked.

"You look so beautiful! ….Although, perhaps you might want to do something with your hair?" she said carefully. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"We all know that's an uphill battle."

"True, very true. I remember the wedding," Rin said, nodding. Everyone laughed, and Sakura realized Sasuke was smiling. She bit her lip to hide her surprise, but something became tight in her chest. _It almost feels real. Like we really are the people they think we are._

"Are you done squealing yet? We have a reservation," Sasuke said, interrupting them. Tenten sighed loudly.

"Fine, fine. Go be romantic," she said grudgingly. After extensive goodbyes and well-wishing, the web cam was turned off, and their room was now silent.

"I guess we should go now," Sakura said, putting the monitor back on the little table by the window and adjusting her dress. Much to her own surprise, the dress fit like a glove—and despite looking too tiny to be appropriate, it covered just enough. _Maybe it's because there isn't much curvature to cover,_ she thought, narrowing her eyes and resisting grumbling in annoyance.

Sasuke was wearing a suit, and the simplicity of it seemed to highlight to an even greater extent his perfect features. _Dammit, this is going to be a long night,_ Sakura thought as she looked away from him. _Being that good-looking should be a federal offense, punishable by death._

The restaurant was within walking distance, so they went out into the warm, balmy evening on foot. In the town square, twinkle-lights had been strung up and some people were dancing to soft music. Fireflies floated along the streets.

"I think this is it," Sasuke said as they came to a small building with candles in all of the windows. It had an outdoor seating area, also lit by twinkle lights and candles. A piano had been brought outside, adding to the romantic atmosphere. Sasuke approached the host, unsure of what was typically expected in these situations. He had never been to a fancy restaurant before—no, scratch that. He had never been on a date before. "We uh, have a reservation under Uchiha."

"Right this way," he said smoothly, unaffected by Sasuke's icy expression. He led them to a table in the corner, surrounded on two sides by the garden. "A waiter will be with you shortly."

And then they were alone together. They sat down awkwardly and each opened the menu, staring at it blankly.

_This is such a waste. I'm not even hungry,_ Sakura thought as she surveyed her food options. Anxiety roiled in her stomach, killing whatever appetite she had had. _Why am I even bothering to be anxious? It's not like this is actually a date. We're just pretending._

But when she looked up and their eyes met, it really, really didn't feel like they were pretending.

They ordered and picked at their dishes in awkward silence. The couples around them were chatting and laughing, or else sitting close and drinking each other in with their eyes. Conversely, Sakura and Sasuke were sitting about as far away from each other as possible, avoiding eye contact, and in complete and utter silence.

_If this is dating, I'm glad I've never bothered with it before,_ Sasuke thought, staring down at his untouched food. _I feel so...uncomfortable in my own skin. Why are we doing this again? _

Sasuke looked over at Sakura. She was trucking pieces of her food around her plate with her fork, but never actually eating it. His eyes softened. She was so different from the girl he had known in the genin days, and yet...so similar. He couldn't put his finger on what had changed, exactly. But he knew that if this had been five years ago, he would not have been able to shut her up for love or money. But now she was much more reserved, as though reality had finally slapped her in the face and she was still feeling the sting.

"...How's Naruto?" Sasuke asked, somewhat shocked at his own voice. Sakura's head shot up, her eyes wide. The fork clattered on the plate as she dropped it.

"He's...." she paused, sadness crossing her face like clouds across the sun. "...well, he's finally getting the recognition he deserves, I guess."

Sasuke rested his chin on his folded hands, staring at Sakura, waiting for her to elaborate. She drew in a breath, and Sasuke noted that her eyes were becoming wet. "...I miss him," she finally admitted, pressing her lips together and looking away.

"Did something happen between you guys?" he finally asked the question that had been lingering in the back of his mind since the beginning of this whole ordeal—no, rather, since he had left Konoha. Sakura tensed up.

"Not really. I'm stupid. I couldn't see what a good thing I have had all these years."

"....Naruto's a good thing?" Sasuke joked, surprising Sakura. She laughed, but it died quickly.

"He's more than good. He's a wonderful person. But thanks to your replacement, Sai, I found out that his crush on me...never really died. I had no idea. I thought that everything from team seven was gone."

Sasuke let these words sit for a moment as eh considered them. Naruto and Sakura...it seemed an ill fit, in some ways, but in others, it made worlds of sense. This revelation stung.

"And you feel...." he prompted.

"...I feel like an idiot. And....unworthy. And selfish, and blind, and grateful."

"Grateful?" He was confused.

"Someone that great loves me. It's more than I deserve."

Impatience set in for Sasuke. He wasn't getting the information he was probing for, although he wasn't sure why he cared. It seemed petty to care about such things—he was just jealous because he was so used to having Sakura fixated on him, of course. That was all.

"Do you like him?" he finally blurted out after a moment of willing himself to not care. Sakura shrugged.

"Of course. He's really grown into a great guy—he's caring, dependable, smart, hard-working, kind, good with kids, funny, outgoing,selfless...everything you could ask for in a guy."

Sasuke looked down at his plate. _I could care less about what she thinks of him. But...a lot of those traits are things I don't have._

They noticed that the person playing the piano had stopped, and now no one sat at the bench. Sasuke remembered for a flickering moment sitting on the piano bench with Itachi the other day. Itachi had said that the song had been written for Sakura, and even now, Sasuke could hear the melody filling his head.

_It would be too weird to play the song now. I don't even actually know how to play the piano—the other day could have been a fluke. _

His fingers ached to play the song though. _What harm could it do? Sakura might like it...wait, why do I care if she likes it? I don't care. _

"Are you okay?" Sakura asked, her voice penetrating his thoughts. Sasuke nodded, but he still felt a pull towards the piano.

"Excuse me," he said, shooting out of his seat before he had the chance to change his mind. _This is dumb. I don't give two shits about what she thinks of me. Why am I trying to impress her? This can only end badly..._ but despite these thoughts, he still continued to the piano at high speed and plunked down on the bench. He did not dare look at Sakura, in case he lost his nerve.

And then, his fingers were moving up and down the keys, in the exact melody that he had been hearing in his head for days now. He closed his eyes and and played, just played.

Sakura stared in shock, her jaw hanging open at Sasuke as he performed.

Goosebumps ran along her body as she heard the music. It was haunting one moment, and then sweet and delicate the next. Strangely enough, it made her think of herself—growing up, befriending Ino, falling in love with Sasuke, cutting her hair at the chuunin exams, and more.

Her breath caught in her throat as she gazed at him, the song finally finishing as he halted and finally looked at her. Lines of electricity seemed to run between them.

People around them clapped, but Sasuke heard none of it as he relinquished his spot on the bench and went back to the table, feeling oddly jumpy with adrenaline. Sakura's wide jade eyes were on him, confusion evident.

"Check please," Sasuke said simply to the waiter. He turned back to Sakura. "Let's go."

Without another word, they paid for the dinner and left the restaurant, Sasuke leading Sakura by the hand. What was going to happen tonight? Time would only tell.


	6. 5: Brave New World

Isekai

Author's Note: WELL. Long delay, I know. Hopefully I'm back into the swing of things with this story, but who knows. I wrote so many different versions of this chapter but ended up deciding on this one. Lemme know what you guys think, and thanks SO much for your patience!

Chapter Five: Brave New World

When their eyes met, only one thought occupied Sasuke's mind, banishing all the others: she knows. She knew everything, all of the things he knew but couldn't put into words. He hated himself for playing the song, but somehow knew that it had been unavoidable.

Sakura had the sensation of being carried along in the tide towards something. On the horizon of their friendship glimmered something unidentifiable. She didn't know now what might happen, but she knew they were both equally lost at sea right now.

Wordlessly, they walked back to the beach. Sakura's heart was pounding. _It was for me. The song was written about me. _

She spared a glance at him. Somehow he reminded her of a baby bird, terrified of the brand new world that now surrounded him. The mothering nature that had propelled her towards becoming a medic nin now overtook her; she intertwined their fingers.

They reached the surf and stood there, watching the moon on the waves.

"I remember one time," Sakura began, "a couple of years after you'd left, I went to meet with Tsunade for training as I did every day. She saw me come in, and gave me the strangest look. I asked her what was going on, and she just blinked and said, 'you're starting to get over him, aren't you.' I was confused, obviously. I remember I looked in the mirror and somehow my face looked different. I hadn't realized it the day before, and I hadn't known anything had changed."

Sasuke replied, "sometimes it takes other people or things for you to realize the way you're actually feeling." He seemed to be confirming this. Sakura nodded; he had understood.

–

Leena and Rin had been bustling about, planning the dance—as though the skirmish at Kalaia had never happened. The dance was all anyone talked about; no one wanted to think about how the Kalaia situation would soon disturb the recently acquired peace.

Ever since the 'holiday' weekend, Sasuke had been on autopilot, and merely was carried along through each day's activities. He didn't know how Sakura was feeling or thinking, and was almost afraid to find out. Despite spending most of their days in each other's company, little was said. They weren't hostile, merely uncomfortable.

"You heard about Uzumaki?" Kakashi questioned the group as they sat around a table, combing through reports individually. The group comprised Sasuke, Neji, Itachi, and Kakashi. Sakura was busy teaching—Neji had commented that they could have really used her intellect at the moment.

The sound of his old friend's name was like being awoken from a deep sleep, or being splashed with cold water. Sasuke sat up, startled.

"No, I didn't," Itachi replied, his voice holding notes of both nostalgia and bitterness. For Itachi, whose feelings were kept beneath a thick layer of impenetrable ice, this display was unusual. Something truly significant must have occurred to incite such a response.

"He's been promoted to President of Fleuria," Kakashi said, his eyes darting to Itachi. Neji made a great show of scoffing and rolling his eyes.

"I can't believe it. What a waste of talent," he said dismally. "Uzumaki was always a great leader, but he's better suited leading an army or something like that. Not idiotic civilians."

Sasuke observed Itachi's becoming flinty with pent up emotion.

"He'd have been useful for this Kalaia mission." At this, Kakashi turned to Sasuke.

"I suppose you came here too late to know him, eh? Another child prodigy. We're lucky we got him when he was so young—otherwise he might have turned out to be just another street rat. He fought like a demon, but if you met him, you'd never know it. Sunniest disposition ever."

"Why isn't he at the academy?" Sasuke asked, hoping this wasn't a ridiculous question. Kakashi sighed.

"He graduated when he was twelve, and no one here could provide him with the challenge he desired. So the Chun Wu army took him on, but word is, they kicked him out for having an affair with the emperor's daughter when he was about fifteen. And then, Camillei took him on, but of course considering the relationship between Camillei and Fleuria, and Fleuria's shrewd president—well, ex-president, I should say—it's no surprise that they got ahold of him. No intelligent political leader would ever let their enemies acquire a man like Uzumaki."

Sasuke let these words sink in.

On the screen, Novia popped up just then, his eyes crinkling pleasantly. All men jumped out of their seats to stand at attention, though it hardly seemed as though Novia were the type of man to care.

"How's it going boys? Any decisions reached?"

"No, sir."

"Well, what do you think of this? I'll go ahead and schedule a chat with our old friend Uzumaki. I'm sure he'd be happy to talk about this, if he isn't _busy_ with all of his new duties. I trust you all have heard his good news." Despite Novia's smiling expression and jovial tone, there was a bitter aftertaste to his words.

To Sasuke it seemed that keeping the Kalaia situation contained would have been best, but he was by far the least senior person in the room. He would have been out of line to speak. "So, who wants to go?"

"Not me. And I don't think you should send Kakashi—he'll just be late and botch the whole thing," Neji said irritably. "And I'd say Itachi, but I think--"

Kakashi cut him off. Judging by the look on Itachi's face, this had been a tactful move. "Howabout Sasuke? He has no personal history with Uzumaki and is a direct person. I cannot see any reason to find an issue with him going."

_No personal history with Uzumaki._ The thought sank like a stone in Sasuke's mind. He soon realized all eyes were on him. He perked up, clearing his throat. _I can't just decline the mission...there's no reason that I could give them to not go. _

"I will go to speak with Na—President Uzumaki," he agreed finally, feeling relief at having corrected himself in time.

"Excellent. Oh, and Uchiha—please refrain from bringing your wife. I already have another mission outlined for her for that day."

Novia left, and with his absence the room became silent.

"I believe there is nothing left to discuss for today. If you'll excuse me," Itachi said, standing abruptly and exiting the room. There was a hardness to his features that Sasuke recognized from the days leading up to the massacre. The only thing he could think was: _he needs someone to be there for him._

He excused himself as well. On a whim that he didn't even understand until it had already happened, he was following his brother down the hall. Itachi turned the corner to go to the private quarters of the most senior members of the academy.

"Itachi," Sasuke called out. The hallway was deserted. Itachi turned slowly, the muscles in his back tensed. For the first time, Sasuke realized just how old Itachi seemed, not in his appearance so much as the way he carried himself.

"What can I do for you, Sasuke?" he asked, letting some irritation leak out. Sasuke recoiled.

"Um..did you..." He was at a loss for words. He wanted to reach out to his brother, as he had never done in his own world. He wanted to be there for him, to understand his pain. The shock of this epiphany shook him—_this is my chance. Probably my last one._ "You want to get dinner?" he finally asked. Asking if he wanted to talk about his past with Naruto would have been too direct, and Itachi would have never said yes, even if he wanted to.

Itachi's surprise was visible.

"What about Sakura?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Let's get food in Gaulin," he replied, dismissing Itachi's question. Sakura would survive without him—rather, they probably would do well to have a break from each other. Even so, he sent her a message from his comm.

They ended up taking a transport to Gaulin, sitting across from each other in uncomfortable silence. _Well, this is just like being with Sakura. No one is talking and the air is thick with awkward tension._ Luckily, the ride didn't take long, and before they knew it they had reached Gaulin. Even on a Thursday night, it was a bustling town, with streetcars and trucks screeching around them. Everyone took notice of the two tall, dark, handsome men in pristine uniforms.

It was the strangest feeling, to be walking down the street with Itachi. _It must be some sort of dream or something. _ He felt like a shimmery, ghostly version of reality—like an overexposed photograph.

They chose a cheap joint that specialized in food from Chun Wu, which turned out to be a mix of unidentifiable sea creatures, deep fried or thick with spices. It was both disgusting and delicious; Sasuke determined that the only way to eat the food was to not think too hard about it, or look at it.

"So," Sasuke began, unsure of where to go. He was never one for starting conversations, but some unknown force was driving him to act this way. Besides, what person, upon being reunited with a deceased loved one, doesn't try to make amends? The old anger was dissipating very quickly, melting away and leaving fresh green leaves. He wanted to be a good brother here. "How's your love life?" he blurted out.

Itachi gave him a strange look before bursting into laughter. He set down his chopsticks and shook his head.

"Is that why you brought me here? Sasuke, I am single as a choice, and am happy that way. Did mom put you up to this?"

Sasuke found himself smiling.

"No. I just...forget it," he said, wanting to punch himself. "You're probably making the right choice anyway," he added. "Marriage is..." he paused, trying to find words to describe the little experience of it he had had, ".....my favorite sport," he finished dryly. Itachi snorted.

"The minibreak didn't go well?"

"It was...fine. I'm just saying that it is hard to be around a person all the time...even when you love them." He was surprised by his own words. _Love._ It was a strange and disturbing word to him. He would rather not think about it.

"Mom wants kids out of you two," Itachi warned him, beginning to eat again. Sasuke shrugged, unsure of how to react.

"I doubt she'll be getting them any time soon. Sakura is too career oriented." Itachi raised an eyebrow at this.

"You don't seem to have discussed it with her too much," he observed.

"...No, not in a while," he replied, taking the opportunity to shove some greasy chunk of something in his mouth.

Even the high din of the restaurant—pots and pants clanging, people shouting at each other in the Chun Wu native language, and loud music playing—couldn't completely mask the uncomfortable silence between them. _Just ask him. Ask him: what happened with Naruto? Just do it._

He had to readjust his chopsticks several times because his hands were sweating so much with his anxiety. Sasuke had never been one for letting his anxiety control him; indeed most of the time, he took no notice of it—it was a part of him in the same way that his nose or something was. But personal interaction had always been difficult for him, and he keenly felt that this was his chance to forge a friendship with Itachi. The idea of screwing it up terrified him. _Do it. _

"So," he began, feeling as though he were balancing precariously on something, "did you, um, know Uzumaki?"

Itachi set his chopsticks down abruptly.

"Yes."

"What...what was he like?"

"Like Kakashi said: a very talented young man, but acted like a bumbling fool. You probably would have found him entertaining. Beyond that, there is not much to say."

Sasuke had the sensation of trying to paw his way through quicksand to something: every time he thought he had found an opening to Itachi's mind, it closed up.

They spoke intermittently throughout the rest of the meal, but the conversation was strained. Now that he had brought up Naruto, Itachi seemed suspicious of his motives and on edge. Fervently Sasuke wished he hadn't mentioned the blonde. If Itachi wanted to talk about it, Sasuke realized, he would eventually. What was more important was taking the time to repent for what had happened in his own world, and build up a friendship with Itachi.

When Sasuke returned to the academy, the lights in the apartment were off save for the one on Sakura's desk, in the light of which she was working. Upon hearing Sasuke enter and lock the door behind him, Sakura perked up.

"I got your message--how was dinner?"

Sasuke didn't have any words for her. Where to even begin? Also, he had to tell her about Naruto being president. How would she react to that one?

He dropped down on the edge of the bed and rested his head in his hands. It was too much to talk about, and yet, deep down he knew if he screwed this one up, he would have lost what he had begun to build with her. _Why is it even important? So what if I screw up with her? Itachi is my brother, but her? She's just a person. _But he didn't need to answer that one—he had learned from experience that the pain of a lost friendship was almost too much to bear. No, he had to get this one right—he had to become a man worthy of real, true respect...not just fear.

"Sasuke?"

"It was fine." A long silence stretched out between them. Sasuke could feel Sakura stand up from her seat and move to sit down next to him. "I just...give me a few minutes. Let me shower. Then I'll talk," he finally said, and moved to go take a shower.

Sakura blinked in shock, watching him shut the door. Moments later, the sound of running water could be heard. Just now, that might have been Sasuke's most reasonable moment. She could feel herself smiling. He was changing. Sasuke was readjusting to this place, to seeing his parents and brother alive and well, and he was learning how to be a real person—not just some machine for revenge.

She couldn't wait to hear about the dinner—what had prompted it, how it went—but she also had some things she wanted to discuss. Namely...she looked at the newspaper on her desk. On the front page, the headline story: UZUMAKI ELECTED PRESIDENT OF FLEURIA, was certainly one that had caught her eye. And indeed, there in full color, was Naruto waving to the people of Fleuria.

He was one of those people who only looked better with every passing year, and he had become truly handsome. He might never be as striking a man as Sasuke, but he had come into his own brand of attractiveness, clearly, and radiated a friendly, non-aggressive sort of confidence. She ached to see him. She missed him so much it hurt.

Sasuke came out of the shower soon, a towel around his waist, his hair dripping wet. Sakura had to look away.

"Naruto is here, and he's president of Fleuria," Sakura blurted out. Sasuke had been on the hunt for a clean pair of sweatpants and paused momentarily.

"I know."

"When did you find out?" Sakura struggled to not be angry with him, but it was difficult. She was obviously dying to hear any news about Naruto; why would he keep something from her?

"This evening, directly before I went for dinner with my brother. I am supposed to have a conference with him next week, actually. I would have tried to get you to go in my place, but Novia said he had other plans for you that day."

Sakura's jaw dropped; that was surprisingly considerate of him. Now she felt foolish for preparing to be angry with him. It was habitual to assume the worst of him; she'd have to break it now. This made her smile. "That being said, I did find out some pieces of information on him. Naruto was a graduate of this academy. He finished at a record-breaking age of twelve, and up until that point, it seems as though he and my brother had some sort of disagreement. I tried to get the details out of Itachi over dinner, but he didn't seem to be up for discussing it."

Sakura processed this information. "Perhaps Itachi was a sort of mentor to him? I looked him up in the academy's system, and the first picture I found was of them together. It's actually quite interesting to see a young Itachi."

"Mm," Sasuke agreed as Sakura went to her computer and pulled up the picture. It seemed that they had been sparring. Itachi was shorter then but stood prouder, there were no lines around his eyes, and he looked happier. Oddly enough, he seemed more like Sasuke here. Naruto looked weirdly young and familiar...yet so foreign, like a melody played sideways. Seeing his normal unruliness but presented in a military uniform was something like vertigo. Sasuke shook his head and looked away. "Anyway. That's how dinner went. It was quiet and awkward."

"Did you ask him to go or did he ask you?"

"I asked him. I don't know what came over me. I just...I had to." Sasuke disappeared back into the bathroom to change and came out moments later, now clothed, rubbing his wet hair with a towel.

"I'm proud of you," Sakura said quietly. She stared at him and he stared back at her. The room was entirely silent.

"...Thanks."

"No problem." Sakura and Sasuke each went to their desks to get some work done, but it was difficult for both of them. The newspaper with the picture of Naruto lay on the bed now. Sakura wondered whether he was happy, if he was involved...What had his life been like here?

"I just got a message from Rin about that dance," Sakura announced. Sasuke grunted in response. "Are we going?" she couldn't help but wait his answer with baited breath—she felt like she was twelve. Old habits die hard, after all, and Sakura was no stranger to this fact.

"I am under the impression from the death threats I've been receiving periodically from Rin that we have no choice," Sasuke replied, seeming almost amused.

"Same. She's terribly enthusiastic about it. I wonder if she's hoping a certain person will dance with her...?" She was, of course, speaking of Kakashi.

"Perhaps."

That night as they lay in bed, waiting for sleep, Sakura was able to admit to herself that she wanted to dance with Sasuke.

–

At last--the clock chimed sixteen hundred hours, signaling that the last class of the day for Sakura was over. Now all she had to do was finish writing tomorrow's exams for her students, and she'd be done her work for a few days. She turned on the monitor at her desk in the classroom to go over the questions. Having dug up a few old exams, she had a fair idea of how they were supposed to go. Luckily she'd already written most of it; the test just required a little fine-tuning.

"Excuse me, I'm here on strict orders to relieve you of your stress." A familiar voice came from the doorway. Sakura perked up when she saw Sebastian, his twinkling blue eyes there to greet her.

"Orders by whom?" she teased. Without permission, Sebastian sauntered into the classroom, his hands shoved in the pockets of his uniform.

"Classified information, miss. Just come with me, no questions," he replied. Sakura rolled her eyes, but who could resist the charm of an attractive twenty-year-old man? She found herself turning off her computer and letting him lead her out the door. "Now, you have to close your eyes. Just trust me, okay?" He put his hands—slightly sweaty, probably from anxiety of seeing her—over her eyes.

"Fine," she conceded, giggling as he then led her along. "You're such a distraction. Has anyone ever told you that?"

"Mm, only you," she could hear the smile in his voice. "Okay, open your eyes."

They were in the ballroom, used for special events and speeches—rarely dances. But Rin and Leena and the other members of the events team had done a fantastic job.

It was a magnificent room to begin with, because the ceiling was made of a golden colored cast iron frame, fitted with glass to give the room a more open feel. Now the late afternoon sunlight streamed in, but at night it would be fantastic to have such a view of the night sky—always a treat in Gaulin, for because of the low amount of light pollution, the stars were always visible. Similarly, a few of the walls had been replaced with glass, giving a grand view of the ocean. The room was trimmed with mahogany and the same golden cast iron, giving it a very warm feel. The floors had a design out of different kinds of marble, radiating from the center.

Rin and Leena, who clearly had a future in design (though they'd never pursue it) had added white twinkly lights on strings around the room and on the various plants there. It was elegant and yet still festive—perfect for a dance that had no particular special occasion. They'd sectioned off a place for the band, and an area for refreshments.

"This is so amazing! Where are Rin and Leena; I have to congratulate them!" Sakura twirled around the center of the room. She had never seen so much beauty in one place that wasn't natural. Certainly, Konoha had beautiful spots, but the architecture couldn't even begin to touch the grandeur of this room. It was easy to picture the students dancing, the girls in their finest gowns and the boys in their dress uniforms.

"Okay, let's test you on your dancing skills," Sebastian said, grinning, as he took her hand and began waltzing with her. Sakura stumbled over her feet, blushing, but Sebastian himself was a fine dancer.

"I can't dance with no music!" she protested. Sebastian didn't listen; he continued to guide her around the floor. Soon, she began to pick up the rhythm, and they glided together in circles. Sakura had never experienced dancing with an attractive man, and now, she knew what all the fuss was about.

–

"Sasuke, you have to see it. They've done a fantastic job," Kakashi insisted as they strode out of the training center, having sparred for the past hour. Sasuke didn't feel like looking at the ballroom; who cared what it looked like? He'd spent his childhood living in a series of grand rooms; they had never made any great impression on him. Certainly it had been a change to begin living in the one-room flat he'd spent the rest of his time in Konoha in, but the change of architecture had been the last thing he'd cared about.

Unfortunately, Kakashi didn't seem to want to take no for an answer. All Sasuke wanted to do was get some food, shower, and finish writing the exam for tomorrow. It was midterms, a hellish time for both students and teachers. But he conceded and followed Kakashi to the other side of the grounds, where the enormous ballroom resided. It reminded Sasuke vaguely of a snowglobe or some other such trinket, with all of its glass.

Inside, it was definitely impressive—more so than he'd expected. But the thing that surprised him had nothing to do with the décor: Sebastian and Sakura were waltzing to no music in the empty room. Sebastian's hand was firm on Sakura's lower back, their bodies pressed together as they danced. Sebastian looked, to Sasuke's irritation, blissful. Before Kakashi could say anything, Sasuke cleared his throat loudly. He felt a strange heat in his cheeks.

At once, Sakura and Sebastian halted their dancing.

"What a surprise to see you two here," he said icily. _Why am I acting like this? They were just dancing, for gods sake. Why do I want to punch him? _

"Sebastian and I were brushing up on my dancing—you've always been a skilled dancer, Sasuke, but I need some practice," Sakura explained quickly, tucking a clump of pink hair behind her ear self-consciously. The smug look on Sebastian's face made Sasuke see red, and he wished he didn't know why it made him so angry.

_This is why I hate getting close to people. The anxiety, the insecurity...it's too hard. _

"Why don't we all grab dinner? It's early but I have a lot of work to do tonight," Kakashi suggested, having seen the exchange of glares between Sasuke and Sebastian. It struck Sasuke how Kakashi was often saving situations, tactfully sweeping in at the right moment and distracting everyone. He had never noticed it back in the days of team seven, but upon reflection, it seemed that he did that then too. He was much more attuned to people's emotions than he let on.

"Sounds good to me--" Sakura began, but Sebastian cut her off.

"I should go train. Bye, Sakura," he said pointedly, before brushing coldly past Sasuke and Kakashi. His footsteps echoed as he stormed out of the ballroom, slamming the doors shut.

"...Well. You were saying food?" Sakura finally said awkwardly. The trio left the ballroom.

"I assume you two are attending the dance," Kakashi stated as they headed towards the dining hall. "I believe Leena was hoping you two would discuss your recent victory," he added. Sasuke and Sakura glanced between each other. _Uh oh. Not that again._

"Ehe, yeah," Sakura laughed nervously. "I don't think we will; it's a rather traumatic story..." she added, hoping Kakashi would pass the word onto Leena and Rin and whoever else might urge them to relive the experience.

In the cafeteria, they spotted Sebastian eating with Leena and some other similarly aged students. Sebastian met Sakura's eyes briefly before looking down and beginning to stuff food into his mouth. Sakura wanted to curl up into a ball, but instead stood proud.

Late that night, after they had each finished their work, they lay in bed, waiting for sleep.

"I'm sorry about earlier today," Sakura blurted out suddenly, feeling her face heat up with embarrassment.

Sasuke rolled over to face away from her. His feelings had been hurt, there was no other way to put it. But what good would admitting that do?

...But what good would hiding that do?

"You can do whatever you want," he finally replied, his voice slightly acidic. He regretted it instantly. His specialty had always been in cutting remarks that the other person could have no retaliation to; his words taken literally were harmless but their meaning definitely not harmless.

"Sasuke...I know when you apologize, you shouldn't expect forgiveness. But I think I deserve some forgiveness. I know I hurt you today...I'm not sure how, but you've been really cold towards me. Sebastian wanted to dance. He's got a crush on me, obviously. I should have stopped it sooner. But...considering the number of things you have done to hurt me, both on purpose and not on purpose..." she trailed off, the wind slowly being taken out of her sails.

"I know," he said quietly. He buried his face further into the pillow, clutching the comforter closer to him. "Believe me, I _know._" He paused, exhaling heavily. He had always been aware on some level of all of the people he had hurt. At first, it had been a sick and twisted victory...a position of power. But over time, that feeling had always dissipated, leaving in its place a hollow and yet pressing sort of humiliation. In the darkest hours, you can recognize things for their truth. Those nights in Orochimaru's dungeon taught him that.

She watched him begin to hide, curling up into himself, shielding himself. _We're only seventeen. We both have been through so much. _Sometimes it didn't seem real, her whole life so far. Where most seventeen year old girls went shoe shopping and considered taking their tops off for their boyfriends and fought with their parents, Sakura was enduring the loss of so many loved ones, trying to regain her sense of balance, striving to survive. And where most seventeen year old boys looked at dirty magazines and made stupid jokes and played sports, Sasuke had been hiding in shame, running from an overwhelming grief, and both contemplating as well as exacting revenge.

She should have asked, but she didn't. Sakura slid towards him and slung her left arm over his side, pressing his body to hers. He gasped at first at the contact, pushing her away initially. But there was something safe and loving that he had always craved and never truly experienced in her arms. Some sort of asylum, or safety. Though he hadn't told her every single thing he'd been through these past five years, he could tell that she knew. And within these sadnesses, these tests to his humanity and psyche, she still cared. Her palm rested flat over his heart.

He could feel her breath on his neck, and it was more soothing than he could have ever imagined.

They slept, more deeply than either had in years.


	7. 6: Hole in My Heart

Isekai

Author's Note: I am sorry for the delay! I know, I'm really bad. My job eats up all of my time. That, and I just wasn't inspired enough. I wrote a ton of different versions of this chapter, as usual, but this is the one. Stay tuned for lots of jealousy and romance (finally). Hope you guys like this one.

Chapter Seven – Hole in My Heart

Sakura could finally breathe a sigh of relief: the exams were over. She'd been anxious about the exams for myriad reasons, but luckily she felt enough confidence in her own intelligence to assume she had at least done an acceptable job of writing them. _It's not like I was one of the top students and apprenticed under Tsunade for nothing._

Just as the last of the students were turning in their papers, Sakura was paged a request for her to meet with Itachi after the exam. Itachi had an office, but he had requested that she meet him outside of the academy. He was outside, doing some simple exercises. _His schedule must be packed if he has to meet with me during his personal time. _Sakura began jogging along the path. Down by the shoreline, she could see him practicing different hand-to-hand combat style moves among the wildflowers, his long ponytail swinging gracefully with his movements.

"Sakura," Itachi greeted, not halting his exercises. He was barely out of breath and practically looked like he was dancing. "I heard plenty of sad students from your class today. You always give painful exams," he teased. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Oh, I'm sure my students know more about that stuff than I do," she said with a blasé wave of her hand. _That's probably true, actually._ Itachi laughed, still moving. "Anyway...what did you need?"

"Straight to the point. Sasuke's rubbing off on you," Itachi commented. He paused for a moment to push his hair out of his eyes, and the motion reminded Sakura strongly of Sasuke. "I have a rather personal task that needs accomplishing, but I myself am stretched far too thin at the moment to complete it and I know I can trust you with it." Itachi lowered his voice slightly, even though no one seemed to be around. It put Sakura on edge as he paused and slipped a thin envelope out of his pocket.

"Novia doesn't know about this," she said, staring down at the envelope. If it were an official mission, she would have gotten it from Novia, or else met with Itachi in his office. Now she understood. Itachi smiled but it was humorless.

"You always were a couple of steps ahead of everyone else. I need you to deliver this... today."

Sakura accepted the letter, wondering if Itachi was going to explain himself. "I can't give you details, sadly, but just deliver it to the Chun Wu's palace's kitchen. Give it to a man named Chouji; you can't miss him. He's quite large. He's the head chef for the palace's kitchen. Tell him I gave it to you. That's all you have to do. Don't bring anyone else with you—even Sasuke—and tell no one of your destination. And for gods sake, Sakura, don't play detective. This is personal...and it is imperative that it be accomplished."

Itachi's face was grim, his eyes flashing. In his distress he was almost unrecognizable. Sakura took a step back, sliding the letter into the inner pocket of her uniform. Itachi looked at her with desperate eyes.

"Don't worry. I'll do it. You can trust me," Sakura replied quietly. Itachi relaxed slightly; on the outside he appeared just as placid as usual. But there were still signs that he was not fully himself.

"Go now, before anyone gives you other things to do. Go in plainclothes so you won't be as easily recognized."

She left him there and began running at full-tilt back to the academy. There was something dark, something wrong about this. Itachi hadn't even bothered to disguise it as a simple letter, so it had to be a dire situation.

_But, he trusted me above others. _ Or perhaps he was using her for her intellect and counting on her to be trustworthy. Either way, it was flattering on a certain level.

She hopped on her hoverboard after putting in the coordinates for Chun Wu—it looked like it might take a few hours to get there, but it was worth it if Itachi needed it. _I wonder if it is at all related to the Kalaia mission,_ Sakura thought as she sped over the sea towards the southern country.

–

Sakura wasn't answering her comm, and it was pissing Sasuke off. He had checked her classroom, he'd checked their apartment, he'd checked the training center—she was nowhere to be seen. No one had seen her except for Gaara, who had said he'd seen her leaving the academy and running towards the shore.

"Sasuke, you look distressed," Itachi commented as they ran into each other in the hall. Itachi was apparently on his way from one meeting to another; he looked tired and anxious, but Sasuke brushed it aside.

"Have you seen Sakura?" he asked with little hope of actually getting a worthwhile answer. _What if she got transported back to our world? _He hadn't seen her since that morning, and it was now dinnertime.

There was something that passed over Itachi's face that made Sasuke pay attention. _He knows where she is._

"She went for a spin on her hoverboard after exams. I saw her when I was out training. She should be back soon," he replied hastily after a pause that was just a beat too long. "Anyway, I have to go. See you later, little brother," Itachi added dismissively before speed-walking towards the elevator.

_Spins on hoverboards do not last six hours...unless she got hurt?_

Sasuke glowered at nothing in particular. He wasn't sure why he was so anxious about her getting back—whatever it was, he didn't like this feeling, and the only way to quash it would be to see Sakura again. But there was no way to look for her. The only thing to do was wait.

Sasuke stormed over to the training center, but it was filled with students trying to blow off some steam. Cursing loudly, he jogged to the hangar and hopped on his hovercycle. He needed to get away. If one more bratty student pestered him about the results of the exams, there would be death and destruction by his hand.

His destination of choice was a grassy plateau overlooking the city of Gaulin and the academy, with a pleasing view of the glittering sea. Parking his hovercycle, he ripped off his top-jacket to reveal a formfitting black short-sleeved undershirt. The air was still somewhat balmy and it was a relief to free himself of the constricting uniform.

For an hour or so, Sasuke lost himself in training. He practiced his old taijutsu forms, enjoying the way his muscles remembered what he had learned from his days as a genin. It was bittersweetly nostalgic to recall those days, but in a way, it was cathartic. They had remained locked in the back of his mind, and revisiting them was like finding old dusty photographs. Here, in an entirely different world, alone, it was safe to remember. It still hurt, he discovered, as the memory of leaving Konoha for the last time flit across his mind's eye. The image of Sakura begging him to stay was forever burned into his head—and his heart.

At the time, he hadn't realized how painful of an experience it had been for him. Probably his mind was in shock and could not process the feelings. Instead, they had remained locked with the memory itself, staining it so that he had to momentarily pause to stare out at the ocean, catching his breath, nearly choking.

_Where did it all go wrong?_

Before, he would have answered 'when my family was brutally murdered.' But he was beginning to sense that while that was a horrible thing that had happened, he had had a choice of how he could have reacted.

_I was young,_ he screeched inwardly. _How can I be to blame for how I reacted? I was seven years old—just a baby, practically—when I saw the bloody bodies of my parents._

But Sakura's voice haunted his mind, reminding him of the people he had known in Konoha. Everyone had some horrible story to tell. Everyone was sad. But they had chosen to integrate it into their lives. They accepted their fate but rose to meet it. And what had he done?

_I'm weak. I let myself become a victim._

It was a hard pill to swallow.

It was so hard to suddenly see himself in the ugly light that others had probably seen him for so long. The only thing that had protected him from the hatred and disdain of the village was his age and pretty face.

But one day he'd be old and ugly. Who would pity him then?

He began to train again, putting more force and energy into his movements to try and burn away some of the feelings bubbling inside of him. He was so lost in concentration that he didn't see the figure approaching.

–

When Sakura arrived on the shores of Chun Wu, the sun was already beginning to set. Her comm had been beeping with myriad calls from Sasuke, but she couldn't answer them for fear that he'd track her here and find out what she was up to. And Itachi had asked—no, _begged—_her to keep this journey even from Sasuke. In spite of her killer curiosity, a promise was a promise.

With a fair amount of mirth at the fact that Sasuke was trying desperately to get into contact with her, Sakura locked her hoverboard at one of the stands and entered the city gates. For all anyone knew, she was just another tourist. She'd chosen one of the outfits she'd worn on the minibreak, and was happy for it—she already stuck out like a sore thumb here, with her jewel-toned hair and eyes—but a uniform would have made it worse. _It looks like everyone here is somehow related to Hyuuga._ Almost everyone had the thick, dark hair and opalescent eyes classic of the Hyuuga. _But how does the Byakugan manifest itself here?_

It was a question for another time. Sakura wandered about the city, trying her best to blend in. Chun Wu was warm and humid, and Sakura felt as though she was being steamed for cooking here. The architecture was an artful blend of old, pagoda-style buildings and newer, futuristic steel stuctures with lots of glass. The city was beautiful and glittering. It didn't surprise Sakura that the Hyuuga lived here. She'd never been inside the Hyuuga compound back in Konoha, but it had been described as the picture of elegance and affluence.

But there were other darker signs of Hyuuga too. Guards were everywhere, and because of their somewhat subdued uniforms, they were not immediately obvious. But when she took a closer look, Sakura found them all over the place: in front of stores, guarding alleyways, patrolling the middle of the street. Rickshaws wove in and out of the crowds, carrying wealthier citizens. The more she looked, the more evident social class was.

The palace was at the head of the city, overlooking it. It stood much taller than the other buildings and was in the style of a pagoda, but with all modern, shining materials. It gleamed in the sunlight and looked extremely impressive and intimidating. _Great. I wonder how I'm supposed to find the kitchen and get in. Should have asked Itachi about this one, _Sakura thought with some irritation at herself.

The answer to her questions came in the way of a delivery man heading around the perimeter of the palace. It looked like he was carrying boxes of food. _Maybe he's delivering to the palace. I'll just follow him..._

It couldn't hurt to try. Surreptitiously, Sakura tailed the deliveryman on his hovercycle, with her at a slight jog. In her sandals, it was hard to keep a fast pace, but luckily the streets were so clogged that the deliveryman wasn't going very fast anyway, even on vehicle.

The palace was surrounded by high walls, and took up so many city blocks that Sakura lost count. Towards the back of the city, there was an opening in the walls with an electronic gate. The deliveryman keyed in a code before entering. Sakura watched him carefully, memorized the code, and then followed suit. The gates slid open briefly, and Sakura had to hurry inside to avoid getting hit by the tiny gate sliding shut again. _Geez. God forbid you drop something there,_ Sakura thought irritably as she walked away.

She found herself in a dark alleyway, formed by the high wall and the side of the palace. Here, the building was not stylized and looked older. Some of it was made of wood. A small door was swinging from having just been pushed open, and the deliveryman's hovercycle sat next to it, still humming.

Just then, a large man in a stained white apron ambled outside, clutching a foil bag. It was Chouji, apparently taking his break.

Slipping the envelope from her purse, Sakura coughed loudly. Chouji looked over at her.

"Are you Chouji?" she asked, even though she knew the answer. Chouji raised an eyebrow as he shoveled food from the foil bag into his mouth.

"Maybe..." he said slowly. Sakura stepped forward. "How did you get in here?"

"Never mind that. I have something from Itachi," Sakura replied, brushing away his question. She held out the envelope. She had been _dying_ to read it, because she had the bad feeling it held a lot of answers about the Kalaia mission. She had always been a curious person, but this time had been forced to put aside her natural urge to find out what she wanted to know. Itachi had told her not to, and once again: a promise was a promise.

"You're awfully trusting that I'm Chouji," he said, accepting the envelope immediately. Sakura half-smiled. "You don't look like someone who Itachi would know. You're too..." Chouji looked her over again, "...cute."

It wasn't necessarily a compliment; more of an insult, but Sakura blushed anyway.

"Plainclothes. Anyway, he described you to me," she lied. Chouji laughed good-naturedly and hid the letter in the pocket of his apron.

"Well, thanks for doing this. Normal correspondence isn't safe between him and Hinata anymore—too many people intercepting the letters. You must be something special if he trusted you to deliver this."

_Between him and Hinata?_

_...What is going on here?_

Sakura recovered from her shock quickly.

"Oh, well, I'm his little brother's wife. We're old friends," she explained hastily. Chouji studied her face.

"...Do you know anything about him and Hinata?" he asked, after a few moments. Sakura shook her head. Chouji's mouth twitched slightly, as though he was unsure of what he was about to say.

"I don't know anything either. I don't want to read their letters, but I feel like they're keeping important things hidden from people who should know..." he sighed. "Anyway. You want some food? You look hungry and it's dinnertime anyway."

"Um, sure," Sakura accepted the invitation with some surprise. Chouji turned to go back inside.

"Well, come on in, then."

Inside the palace kitchen, it was incredibly busy. Servants and maids fluttered about, preparing food or taking delicacies on elegant platters out to what Sakura assumed was the banquet hall.

"Is it like this for every meal?" Sakura asked Chouji, in awe of the hustle and bustle of the kitchen. Chouji laughed.

"No, tonight is a banquet for some of the princess' suitors. But..." Chouji glanced around, lowering his voice to barely a whisper, "Hinata won't accept any of them. She's still lovesick...even though it's been seven years," he confided.

_I wonder if he's talking about Naruto. _

Sakura longed to hear more, but the chirping of her comm device brought her back to reality. It wasn't from Sasuke, but from Itachi. _Did you succeed?_

Sakura typed back a quick affirmative and turned back to Chouji. "Do you want to see the banquet? It's quite impressive. I designed the menu myself," he said proudly. Sakura laughed.

"Okay, just for a minute," she conceded. Chouji gestured for her to follow and pushed aside a curtain leading to a tiny, dark, cramped staircase. Up they went. The staircase led to a balcony overlooking the enormous elaborate banquet hall. Guards stood there, watching, partially hidden behind heavy drapes.

"What you doin up here, Chouji? Bring me any food?" the guard asked. Chouji wrinkled his nose.

"You can't appreciate fine food. I'm just showing around a friend of mine," he explained, pointing to Sakura. "Anyway, look down there."

Sakura crept to the railing and gasped.

The banquethall was several stories high and long and wide enough to be a street. A long table covered in dishes stretched out in the middle, with young men already seated around it. A silence settled over them as the doors at the head of the room opened slowly. A gong resounded throughout the room.

"It's the princess," Chouji whispered.

Hinata had certainly grown into her features. She'd always been a pretty girl, but now she was truly breathtaking. She was wearing a long gossamer robe that shone like her eyes. Her long, gorgeous dark hair was twisted into the most elaborate hairstyle Sakura had ever seen, reminding her of the geisha back in Konoha. She truly looked like a princess. Clearly, all of her suitors thought so as well.

"She's beautiful," Sakura murmured. Chouji laughed.

"What Hyuuga—besides Hanabi—isn't attractive? I mean, you must know Neji," Chouji pointed out. Sakura nodded thoughtfully. Neji _was_ incredibly handsome, but his cold demeanor detracted from it heavily. But when he wasn't in a horrible mood, he was almost as striking a man as Sasuke. Almost, but not quite. Sakura couldn't imagine a better looking man than Sasuke. Especially now that he was older. "Hanabi's like when you prepare a dish with the finest ingredients, but it doesn't come out tasting right."

The slight against Hanabi intrigued Sakura. She remembered Hanabi as an egotistical brat, with a much stronger byakugan than Hinata. It had caused a rift between the two sisters. What was their relationship like in the absence of the byakugan?

Behind Hinata, her father and Hanabi entered, and Sakura saw what Chouji meant. Hanabi had the same beautiful hair as Hinata and the same Hyuuga eyes, but the features that had made her a pretty child had made her an unattractive young woman. Her pouty mouth was sallow and unhappy, and her chin was just too pointed. She was thinner than Hinata and looked rigid with irritation.

The interesting thing was the tangibly jealous way she gazed at Hinata. The difference between them was marked, even though they technically had all of the same features.

The royal family was seated at the table, and the emperor made a speech to Hinata's suitors. Sakura's comm beeped again, and she had to silence it hastily.

"I should go," she murmured to Chouji. "It's getting late and I have a long way to go."

Chouji looked disappointed, but obligingly led her back down the stairs. Once they were in the kitchen, he turned to her.

"I never got your name," he said. Sakura grinned.

"Sakura."

"Ah. Well, pleased to meet you, Sakura. Any friend of Itachi's is a friend of mine. I hear his little brother is quite the handful," Chouji said with humor, as though speaking of a bratty toddler. It made Sakura laugh.

"That's a diplomatic way of putting it. But..." she paused, "...he is a good man," she finished, noting the way she couldn't hide the pride in her voice. Chouji's eyes twinkled.

"Either way, he's lucky to have a wife who clearly loves him so much. Let me give you some food to take."

Chouji's words sent Sakura's mind for a spin as she waited for him to put together a packed dinner together from leftovers. _I don't still love him...or do I?_

"Here you go. Finest food you'll get in this country. Thanks for delivering the letter," Chouji said, presenting Sakura with a box of food. Sakura accepted it, bowing politely.

"No problem. I hope we meet again, Chouji."

"Me too, Sakura. Be safe."

Sakura left the kitchen and hurried back to her hoverboard, tucking the box of food in her purse for when she returned. But her mind was in a fog of confusion.

_He's lucky to have a wife who clearly loves him so much..._

Was she in love with Sasuke? And if so...how did he feel about her?

–

"Instructor...I didn't know you came here to think too," Sebastien greeted Sasuke, dismounting his hoverboard and landing easily on the grass. Sasuke halted his training, trying to refrain from glaring at the student. He had quickly come to harbor what he knew was an unreasonable hatred for Sebastien. He hated his lanky form, his big feigned-innocent blue eyes. _Slimey bastard. Trying to get with my wife..._ Sasuke inwardly snarled, deciding to not acknowledge the fact that he and Sakura weren't actually married, or even together, for that matter. It was just a show they had to put on in this world.

"Well, now you do," Sasuke said shortly, wiping sweat from his brow. Sebastien laughed, but it sounded fake. The noise made Sasuke cringe. He _hated_ people who fake-laughed. "Is there something I can help you with, Delaflote?"

"Eh, no, just trying to blow off some steam," Sebastien replied. "I haven't seen Sakura all day..."

Now Sasuke couldn't hide his glare.

"You mean, _Instructor Uchiha?_" He emphasized her title clearly, the venom dripping from his words. "No, I haven't seen her either."

A long silence passed between them. Finally, Sebastien spoke, doing the pretend-shy thing that made Sasuke want to bash his head into a rock repeatedly. It was like he was trying to emulate Lee or Naruto when they were being sweet, but was too much of an asshole to be successful.

"Um...I wonder if she's ignoring you or something," Sebastien said, scratching the back of his neck.

"No. She doesn't ignore me. She's busy," Sasuke snapped.

"Ah, whatever you say. Hm..would you be interested in sparring for a bit? I could use some loosening up," Sebastien suggested casually, rolling up the sleeves of his uniform.

_Sure, if it means I get to beat your scrawny disingenuous ass from here back to my own world. _"Fine, just for a bit," Sasuke said coolly, settling into a fighting stance.

And so, it began. Sebastien darted towards Sasuke with his quarterstaff, but even with his own bare hands, Sasuke had no trouble fending Sebastien off. Sebastien swung at him and all he had to do was grab the end of the quarterstaff (which was easy, considering Sebastien's reflexes were quite slow) and twist it and he had already outsmarted him. Sebastien swung hard but, like his personality, the foundation of his fighting skills was weak and did not stand up well against good, solid hand-to-hand moves.

"It must be difficult to be your age and still be a cadet," Sasuke commented snidely, sliding out of the way of the quarterstaff and elbowing Sebastien in the stomach. Sebastien was too tired now to put up a facade of innocence, and was too out of breath to speak. He swung blindly at Sasuke, but Sasuke parried all of his moves.

"Got...started...late," Sebastien uttered, his face ruddy with exhaustion. Sasuke took pleasure in tiring him out. _Teach this little brat to act like a smartass to me,_ Sasuke thought smugly.

But Sebastien was out to get him, and was swinging with the intent of real injury. It was no longer just a sparring match—he could feel that Sebastien hated Sasuke just as much as he hated him.

–

It was twilight by the time Sakura returned to the shores of Gaulin. She was on her way back to the hangar when she spotted two figures fighting on one of the grassy plateaus overlooking Gaulin. She could tell who it was even from far away: no one besides Sasuke moved like that. His opponent was carrying a quarterstaff and was much taller than him—it could only be Sebastien. Nervousness fluttered up from the pit of her stomach. _I have a really bad feeling about this..._

Sakura zipped back towards them. Even from afar she could tell that Sasuke was pissed off and was in his 'no mercy' mode. Despite being without chakra, the chidori, or sharingan, Sasuke was not even close to an easy opponent. He was a born fighter with excellent balance, speed, and coordination. Not to mention raw determination and a good head for fighting. Sakura didn't know how skilled Sebastien was, but she doubted he was any match for Sasuke—even here.

As she got closer, she realized she had been right to worry. It was like a game of cat and mouse. Sebastien scurried weakly about the plateau, looking lost with his quarterstaff held loosely in his hands. He had probably realized that nothing short of a bomb would make him able to defeat even a weaponless Sasuke. Meanwhile, Sasuke, lean and athletic looking, stalked closer, his mind entirely focused on the task at hand. Sakura knew him well enough to see that he was having the time of his life torturing poor, defenseless Sebastien—and it made her furious. As soon as Sebastien caught sight of her, he seemed to crumple further, looking like a sad little child compared to Sasuke, who looked like a vicious snake. His eyes were narrowed and sweat dribbled down his jawline, plastering his thick black hair to his cheeks. His undershirt stuck to his skin. In the dying light, he was hard and gleaming like a diamond.

"STOP," Sakura yelled. It caught both mens' attention and Sasuke faltered from moving closer to Sebastien, who dropped to the ground.

"Thank you," Sebastien whimpered. Sasuke whipped around and glared.

"Oh, shut the hell up with that crap. You were fine until she showed up," he accused. Sakura glowered at him.

_How can I be attracted to this vicious, petty man?_

"Sasuke—leave him alone," she said sharply. She turned to Sebastien. "Should we take you to the infirmary?" she cooed.

Sasuke burned with the unfairness of it all. As soon as they had seen Sakura approaching on her hoverboard, Sebastien had visibly lost whatever skill and ability he had had, making it look like Sasuke was beating him. This had angered Sasuke further. Enraged, he watched as Sakura dropped down next to Sebastien, checking to see if he needed medical assistance.

"Shh, I'll call Dr. Shizune," she said sweetly. She paged Shizune while glaring at Sasuke, who matched her glare. Just then, he felt that he hated Sakura too. _How could she listen to Sebastien? How can she believe him? He just wants to get in her pants..._ He could feel his blood boiling as he thought about it.

Shizune sent out a transport for Sebastien, who was moaning and groaning loudly that his arm had been broken. When the transport arrived, they all climbed on, even thought Sasuke would have rather died than be enclosed in such a small space with this man that he hated with a passion.

But thank god for Shizune, who shrewdly studied Sebastien, ignoring his whining.

"You're fine. Nothing's broken. You're not even that physically exhausted," Shizune said, sounded irritated at having been called out from the infirmary. Sakura raised her eyebrows, but didn't look at Sasuke, infuriating him even more. "I'm giving you a demerit for feigning injury," she said sharply. Sebastien looked horrified, and Sasuke had to hide his cat-like grin of satisfaction. Annoyingly enough, Sakura looked angry too.

"But he was in real pain. I could _see_ it," Sakura protested. Shizune quirked an eyebrow at Sakura.

"No he isn't. He doesn't even have any bruises. Haven't you ever sparred before? You're turning soft, Uchiha."

They arrived back at the hangar, and after a smack upside the head to both men, Shizune left them. Sebastien turned to Sakura looking maudlin.

"Thanks for believing me," he whimpered, looking down. Sakura hugged him, told him to go rest and eat, and then he slunk off, looking extremely pitiable.

"Well. It's been a stressful day. I'm going to go-" Sakura began, but Sasuke grabbed her wrist, cutting her off.

"Where were you today? No one could find you. You were worrying people," Sasuke scolded, his face flaming. "I—Gaara and Itachi and Rin were all very worried," he added.

_So he wasn't even worried about me. He just didn't want to have to deal with others caring about me,_ Sakura thought, feeling stung. Sasuke looked her over, observing her plainclothes. He remembered that dress from the minibreak.

_Don't think about how cute she looks. That's not helpful right now,_ he told himself. Sakura glared at him.

"Forget it," she snapped. "Just leave me alone." She paused and shoved a box at him. "I got you this. Hope it's good," she added sarcastically before turning on her heel and leaving him standing there, clutching the box. He watched her storm out of the hangar.

–


	8. 7: The Kiss

Isekai

Author's note: well, this took less time than expected. I know everyone found the last chapter to be rather disappointing, but this chapter I'm really happy with. In fact, I only had to write one version, for once! Let me know what you guys think. This story is pretty important to me—I'm putting more effort into it than my other stories.

Chapter Seven: The Kiss

"You'll be working with a security officer from Camillei. Her name's Ino. Don't expect to get along with her, because she doesn't get along well with anyone," Neji explained as he led Sakura to the hangar. The same night that she had returned from Chun Wu, there had been a request for some backup on some issue in the shipyard of Camillei. Naturally, Sasuke had been put off that he wasn't the one to be put on the mission, but Neji, who was the one responsible for determining who did what at the academy, didn't seem to care much about Sasuke's feelings—or anyone's feelings, for that matter.

_Ino. _Sakura had almost forgotten about her childhood friend-and-enemy. She was surprised that Ino wasn't in a more glamorous position. Security seemed like the sort of job that would bore Ino to death. _Then again,_ Sakura thought with a wry grin, _she was always good at poking her nose into other people's business._

"I'm sure it will be fine," Sakura replied with some resignation. She was feeling worn out and not really up for another mission (especially with more hoverboard traveling) but she didn't have a choice. This was her job. Just as she was mounting her hoverboard, Neji placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I know you were on some secret mission today. And I know you're tired. But..." Neji narrowed his eyes, seeming to struggle to express himself. "...the reason I always put you on missions is because you're the best. Sasuke and Kakashi and everyone else are good, but you're something else. You're careful, and you don't have the same enormous ego that everyone else here," he paused, frowning a bit, "including me, seems to have."

The silence in the hangar was deafening. Sakura could only gape at him in shock. She had never, _ever_ been the best one. Even in the academy, Sasuke could always trump her on written exams, and of course, when it came to fighting, Sakura could only excel in genjutsu—and even then, she had quickly been surpassed.

"But...Sasuke can beat me rather easily in sparring. And I think most people here are more intelligent and quicker thinkers than I am," Sakura protested. Neji shook his head.

"Beating someone in a spar or written exam has little to do with how good one is out on the field. I have a lot of respect for the way you never crack under pressure, and never assume things. You're always considering situations from all angles. It's like...you see things for how they really are. You understand how people work. _That's_ what makes someone good in a war, Uchiha. That's why Itachi is so good. You have the same attributes that he does. You both watch people. You aren't so involved in your own head...unlike me, or, as a prime example, Sasuke."

Sakura wanted to tell Neji that she felt like she _was_ so involved in her own head. In fact, she felt rather selfish, lately. Her dealings with Sasuke seemed to consume her entirely. But Neji opened his mouth to continue. "I'm telling you this not only to explain why I'm always dragging you out...but also to scold you."

Sakura raised her eyebrows. "You're uncharacteristically too quick to assume the best of Sebastien. You're not acting like your usual analytical self here. Snap out of it. That's all." Neji clapped her on her shoulder. "You'd better get going. Officer Yamanaka isn't known for her patience, that's for sure."

Still reeling at Neji's little speech, Sakura sped out of the hangar with the coordinates for Camillei. It was shocking to think that anyone, especially the infamously snobby Neji, could think so highly of her. It was also shocking to be compared to Itachi in such a way. She had never seen herself as a patient, careful person like Itachi, but when she really thought about it, she supposed it was true, at least outwardly. She had spent her genin days learning how to work around her strong feelings for Sasuke. Because of all the time she spent with him, her feelings were always growing stronger for him—making being around him so very difficult. It was hard to have something held up before you that you couldn't have, after all. But she had learned to not get so flustered by his mere presence. And when he had left, it had put her in such an emotional state that she had been forced to become a person driven by logic and thought, rather than feelings. If she had been driven by feelings, she most likely would have lost her mind, because her life had only become more and more hectic over the years.

_I never realized how much Sasuke affected my personality. _It was a sobering thought, and almost made her feel weak. _But if it weren't for Sasuke, who would I be? Would I still be a naïve, flighty, fickle little girl, even now?_

And then there were Neji's words on Sebastien. _You're too quick to assume the best of Sebastien._ What did that mean? She assumed that Neji was speaking of what had happened earlier that night, but from her perspective, it was clear that Sasuke had been the one at fault there. _But Neji's right—normally I'd be wondering if someone in Sebastien's position would be so easily beaten, especially since here, Sasuke is greatly weakened because of the injury to his spine._

Luckily, she had arrived at Camillei by that point so she was no longer subjected to her own confusion. Camillei was a dark, exciting city that glittered at night. It was certainly the place to go for fun. Kakashi had described for her one place in particular: it was a many-storied building, and on each floor was a different kind of debauchery—for example, the seventh floor was a brothel, and the third floor was a casino. This was how Camillei made its money, and because of this it was an extremely prosperous city. It also had a formidable military force, though for important things, it called on the academy for specialized tasks.

The shipyard was a particularly important place, because of all the imported goods—both legal and illegal—that Camillei received. If there was a security breach there, it was a big deal. And, according to Neji, the fact that anyone had made it through their elaborate security system meant that this was something bad. As usual, Sakura wondered if it was at all tied to the Kalaia situation, but it was only a passing wonder.

Sakura was directed to where Officer Yamanaka would be receiving her, which was in a rather faceless building in the north section of the city. But, as this was the head security building, there was much more to it than met the eye.

But she wasn't merely allowed to step inside. There were guards out front who checked her identification card, and a metal grate slid aside, allowing her to walk into a vestibule that gleamed: everything was streamlined and steel. The only color was plush red carpeting underneath her feet. A guard frisked her and then scanned her with a little machine (what he was scanning for, she didn't know. Hopefully he couldn't see under her clothing with the scanner!). After that, she was escorted by an officer through a series of steel doors that required the officer's retina to be scanned before they were granted access. There was a steel elevator that was circular in shape and needed them to be strapped in, as it whizzed down and sideways in a bumpy, zig-zag movement downwards. It was obvious that they were deep underground now. The elevator had made her slightly sick, but Sakura ignored it, disembarking and following the officer further.

At last, they reached a set of steel doors that were a good ten feet tall and had an eye scanner as a means for entry. The subordinate stood before it and had his eye scanned, and the doors slid open, revealing an enormous room filled with hundreds of monitors showing different views of the shipyard. There was a chair placed in front of it, and at their presence, at the same time that the doors slid shut with a bang behind them, the chair turned around to face them, revealing Ino.

"The assistance from the academy is here," the subordinate explained. Ino seemed to find this amusing.

"What makes you think I didn't know that as soon as she entered the jurisdiction of Camillei, much less my own office?"

This enormous room was hardly an office; it was the size of the ballroom at the academy. Nevertheless, Sakura felt compelled to speak.

"Considering the security breach, I'd say it's fair of him to think that."

Ino showed an inkling of annoyance but recovered quickly. "Touche," she replied simply, before rising to her feet and going to meet them. Of course, Ino had grown into a beautiful young woman, and was outfitted in a tight leather suit that showed off both her curves and muscles equally well. Sakura felt, as usual, plain in her presence, but ignored it for now. "You're dismissed," Ino said to the subordinate, who left at once. When he was gone, Ino turned to Sakura.

"I was hoping they'd send me that dreamy mercenary, Sasuke Uchiha, but I guess you'll do," she said disdainfully. Sakura wrinkled her nose.

"That's my husband you're talking about," she snapped, before she could stop herself. _Fighting over Sasuke—just like old times. _Ino raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow.

"Pity, really," she said, and Sakura wasn't sure if she meant for herself, that Sasuke hadn't been sent, or for Sasuke, in being married to Sakura. "At any rate, I'll show you the tapes now. Once you've seen them, you'll understand why we require the expertise of a soldier from the academy."

Sakura followed Ino to the monitors. The one closest to them was blank, and Ino pressed a few buttons. The quality of the film was a bit lacking, but it was still plain as day: a woman's figure, clad all in black, sneaking by, clutching something. Sakura watched the tape a few times, and finally looked over to Ino.

"Is she still in the shipyard?"

"Yes. I'd wager that she's trying to help others sneak in, or at least get a good handle of the floorplan so that next time she comes, she can bring friends," Ino replied, her pretty blue eyes fixated on the tape. "But I'm a little disappointed that you missed a big detail. In fact, it's not a detail at all, really—it's why you're here. Look again."

A little embarrassed, Sakura looked at the tape again, trying to figure out what exactly she was looking for. "Look at her face," Ino said impatiently.

And then Sakura saw it. Wide, opalescent eyes. Hyuuga eyes.

"Which one do you think it is?" Sakura asked finally. Ino's red lips curled, pleased that Sakura had reached the same conclusion that she had.

"Well, we're just going to have to find out, aren't we? I hope for our sake it's Hinata. It's that time of the month for me, and I hear Hanabi is not too shabby in a spar," Ino said with traces of humor in her voice, and Sakura found herself smiling.

"I wouldn't hedge everything on it not being Hinata. You never know with the quiet ones," Sakura replied, smiling at the memory of Hinata going before Naruto so recently. Ino scoffed.

"Haven't you seen the girl? I doubt she could bring herself to swat a fly. And I strongly doubt she's smart enough to get through all of the security measures."

Sakura didn't bother arguing with Ino, even though she knew that at least in her world, Hinata was at least as capable as Hanabi if not more. The girl was a hidden font of strength and intelligence—meanwhile maintaining the compassion she was so famous for. But, perhaps that wasn't true here. Who knew? Either way, it wasn't worth focusing on at the moment.

"I just wonder about the motives," Sakura said, following Ino who led her to another room down the long corridor.

"Oh, I stopped wondering about the Hyuuga years ago, and now I just go with the flow," Ino said with a blasé wave of her hand as she had her eyes scanned. The door opened, to reveal rushing water. They were in an underground canal of sorts. Rats scurried by. Behind them, the door slammed shut. "So, do we separate, or stay together?"

"Stay together. What are we going to do if we find her?"

"Capture her, take her in for questioning. I don't know, maybe hold her for ransom," Ino replied, shrugging somewhat disinterestedly. "Come on, it's telling me she's located in the north end," she added, holding up a device that showed an electronic map of the shipyard, with dots to denote the people within the shipyard. "Heat sensor," Ino explained. "That's why it's picking up the rodents too," she said, pointing to the tiny, pinprick-sized dots. Sakura shuddered but didn't comment on it.

They set out, almost completely silent. Ino was fairly quick on her feet and seemed to be in good shape, so she kept up with Sakura easily. As usual, Sakura cursed the academy's uniform for women mentally. _Why _did she have to wear a miniskirt? It was so constricting! She was jealous of Ino—then again, all of that shiny leather probably made her feel overheated.

The underground canal opened up to the shipyard. The sloshing sound of the water masked any sound that they made with their feet. As they ran, Sakura slipped on her brass knuckles, just in case. Although, it'd be very strange to fight Hinata. Not so much Hanabi, because Sakura had always disliked the younger Hyuuga. But Hinata had been her friend.

Finally, they had the figure within their sights. She was climbing up the ladder to get into a ship. She had her loot in a sack slung over her shoulder.

"Let's get her," Ino said under her breath, and they broke out into a completely silent sprint towards the boat. Sakura hopped to the fishing net hanging over the side and climbed up it with ease while Ino climbed up the ladder.

The figure seemed to realize she was cornered, for she skidded to a stop and was looking around nervously. But Sakura had tucked herself behind a crate and Ino had not yet climbed onto the boat completely, so the intruder was not sure of where they were.

She turned around a few times, her heavy breathing apparent. She was looking for an escape. Sakura was preparing to jump out and take her, when the girl pulled out a gun.

_Damn._

But before she could formulate a plan, a cracking sound filled the air. Ino stood on the edge of the boat, brandishing a long whip. It had just hit the girl's hand, dislodging the gun and sending it flying several yards away. Sakura gaped for a second at Ino. _Well then. I didn't know you could beat someone holding a gun with just a whip._

"No!" The girl cried, beginning to dart away. Sakura jumped out just as Ino began chasing after her, but Sakura was the quickest on her feet of the three of them and caught up to the girl easily, diving to grab her. They reached the edge of the boat and just as Sakura tackled her, they both toppled over the side and into the murky depths with a resounding splash.

Sakura fought to keep her eyes open in the heavily polluted water, and was able to see that the sack the girl had been carrying had sunk to the bottom, which was not visible. Sakura didn't want to know how deep this water was, and decided it was time that she took the girl out and they got back onto land.

But it wasn't so easy. The girl elbowed Sakura in the nose, and Sakura was fairly sure it had been broken. She floated back in pain, red clouding the water, stars in her eyes. Fighting through the pain, she swam towards the girl, still holding her breath. The girl was trying to swim away and was kicking, but Sakura was stronger and managed to restrain her. The girl continued to put up a wild struggle. They surfaced again and both women gasped for air desperately. _I hate swimming,_ Sakura thought with great bitterness.

Then, Sakura felt something sharp jab into her side, and with startling clarity she realized she'd been stabbed. More red clouded the water and without warning she felt herself release the girl, who swam away. The pain had rendered her body shocked into immobility—unhelpful in deep water. Ino was using the girl's own gun to shoot at her, but the girl hid herself underwater and disappeared. Either Ino had been successful and they would find her body later, or she was excellent at holding her breath.

"Are you okay—oh, fuck," was the last thing Sakura heard. She could guess Ino had realized she'd been wounded, but then everything went black.

–

"She'll be fine," Shizune said, waving Sasuke off. "No damage to internal organs, just a large blood loss. Being in the water when she got stabbed was the problem here," she explained, bustling around Sakura's hospital bed. Sakura had already received a blood transfusion and now Shizune was just patching up some of the other wounds she had received, namely a hard blow to the nose.

After being shooed away by Shizune, Sasuke stormed out to the waiting room of the infirmary, feeling angry and helpless. _They should have sent me,_ he thought with pure rage coursing through his veins. But a small voice told him that if Sakura couldn't handle it, then it was uncertain whether he would have done much better in the situation.

It was two in the morning, and Sasuke was exhausted. He wanted to sleep, but with Sakura looking so lifeless on her hospital bed, his mind was reeling and he knew sleep was impossible now. _She'll be fine,_ he told himself sharply. But it didn't soothe his nerves. After what seemed like ages, Shizune came out of Sakura's room.

"All yours," she said cheerfully. "She should be awake soon."

Sasuke didn't reply, instead lunging for Sakura's room and shutting the door behind him. He wanted to know what the hell had happened—more than anything, he wanted to see Sakura awake, talking to him. Even if all she did was tell him about how horrible of a person he was for beating Sebastien, it would be preferable to _this_.

Feeling panicked, Sasuke sat down in the chair placed next to the bed, and stared at Sakura. Indeed, now she was merely sleeping. There was gauze taped over her nose; it hadn't been broken luckily. There were various bruises on her body that were apparent thanks to the sleeveless hospital gown that she had been changed into.

Without letting himself contemplate his actions (he had no satisfying explanation at the moment), Sasuke slid the blanket down to Sakura's hip bone, which, when his hand grazed over it, gave him an inexplicable shiver throughout his body. The gown was bulky with bandages underneath that. Seeing it, Sasuke felt sick to his stomach. He felt guilt, though he wasn't sure why. For some unknown reason, he felt at fault for all of this. _I should have insisted on going. I shouldn't have let Neji send her._

But why was he panicking so much? Shizune had said she'd be fine. Still, Sasuke couldn't quell the sickness he felt. Before he could stop himself, Sasuke found himself resting his hand on her arm, rubbing the bare skin softly with his thumb. Her skin was feeling warmer than it had when she'd first arrived, which calmed him slightly. He felt heat rise to his cheeks; her skin was softer than anticipated.

Sakura's eyes fluttered open, causing Sasuke to snatch his hand back.

"Sasuke," she murmured sleepily. It sent chills up his spine. Sakura seemed to come to more, and blinked a few times before sitting up. Sasuke moved back slightly. Sakura put a hand to her nose, feeling where the gauze was, and winced. She looked down, at the IV's in her arm and the bulk of the bandages at her side. With a heavy sigh, she flopped down.

"You've been out for a couple of hours. You had a transfusion already," Sasuke explained. Sakura seemed a bit unnerved by his presence, and kept shooting glances at him as though he'd grown a second head.

"Was there any word on the mission?" Sakura asked finally.

"I don't know."

The silence that filled the room was painful. The last time they'd spoken had not been on good terms, that was for sure. Sasuke had hoped for the chance to explain himself—though he wasn't sure why he cared so much what she thought, and had chosen to ignore that particular detail. But Sakura didn't seem to care much about him, and was evidently preoccupied with the mission.

"Could you...get Neji for me," she finally asked. Sasuke felt stung, but for reasons unknown to him, obliged and went to find Neji.

Luckily, he didn't have to go far. Neji sat in the waiting room, reading over a report and looking more tense than usual.

"She wants to talk to you," Sasuke said dully, gesturing to Sakura's room. Neji nodded and brushed past Sasuke, and shut the door behind him.

–

Sakura lay in her bed, examining her fingernails, waiting for Neji to come in and scold her for screwing up so badly. _I let a silly little girl get away, and got stabbed in the process. I'm such an idiot,_ she berated herself mentally. The door creaked open as Neji entered, but to her surprise he seemed more worried than anything.

"I'm sorry," Sakura burst out as soon as the door was shut. Neji wrinkled his nose in confusion.

"Why? Ino's pleased."

Sakura stared at Neji in shock.

"We didn't get the intruder," she said slowly. Neji shrugged and held out the report.

"Here's what she said. You can read it yourself later. In short, she's happy that the intruder didn't get away with any of the imported goods she was trying to steal, and the incident alerted her to some holes in the security system that they've patched up."

"...Oh." Sakura felt a little deflated. As soon as she'd woken up, she'd been frantically worrying about whether she'd get fired or something, but it seemed as though she had done well. But the question still remained: why was a Hyuuga member trying to sneak into the shipyard? What did they want?

"Yamanaka reported that the intruder was likely from Chun Wu," Neji commented, after a long pause. Sakura nodded; it had been obvious once she had seen the girl. Those white eyes were unmistakably Hyuuga. "If we end up looking into the situation, I should let you know that I am not allowed to set foot on Chun Wu soil upon penalty of death. Please do not ask me questions about Hyuuga, because I cannot answer them," he said quietly. Sakura had to refrain from gasping. So Neji was in exile from Hyuuga land. _Though, it's not that different from my own world, is it?_

"I'll keep that in mind," Sakura replied finally. Neji nodded, and cleared his throat. He seemed uncomfortable after the confession, but Sakura didn't dare ask for further information.

"Right. I'll leave you to it. Sasuke looked like he might stab me if I took too long with you, and I don't put violence past the man," he said with a smile. He left, with Sakura in slight shock.

–

Because Sakura was still a little weak, Sasuke had had to wheel her back to their apartment in a wheelchair. The silence between them was thick. The more Sasuke ruminated about what had happened, the angrier he became, until he didn't even know why exactly he was angry anymore. He felt guilty that Sakura had gotten hurt, but he also felt betrayed by her. Why would she believe Sebastien?

Meanwhile, Sakura was still at a loss considering what Neji had said about Sebastien. The mission had prevented her from thinking too hard on it, but now that she was in Sasuke's presence, she could avoid it no longer. That, and waking up to see him beside her, looking anxious, had pitched her further into confusion.

_I could just ask,_ she considered. But what good would that do? Sasuke would paint himself as the good guy no matter what had happened.

_Or would he...?_

Sasuke was a lot of things, but he was nothing if not honest—sometimes painfully so. In fact, honesty was probably the only virtue that he possessed without compromise.

But she couldn't bring herself to ask.

And sadly, Sasuke could not bring himself to explain. It seemed pointless. Sakura would just take Sebastien's side, because she had deemed Sasuke 'evil' already.

Sasuke felt so frustrated and claustrophobic. Sakura herself had said they were in a new world so they could begin new lives, and yet she still was treating him like he was the same person from Konoha.

_And besides, that judgment isn't even fair. What I did was circumstantial. She has no right to judge me for what I've done._

They went to sleep in cold silence.

–

Finally, the day of the ball had arrived. It was evening now, and Sakura was preparing to go. After some sifting through her wardrobe, she had found a short cream colored dress that was made of rows of silky scallops. It was demure, but looked lovely on. She was still tired from the night before, so instead of struggling with her unruly hair (a mission in and of its own) she put it up in a bun, added some small twinkly earrings and strappy heels, and left it at that.

She knew it was wrong—she was married, after all—but she couldn't help feeling a little bit of girlish excitement at the prospect of seeing Sebastien there. As she made her way to the ballroom, she couldn't resist imagining him asking her to dance. But there was a key part of this fantasy: Sasuke would have to catch them dancing. In reality, he probably wouldn't care one way or the other, but in her own mind, she decided he'd be sick with jealousy.

_That would be a real laugh, now wouldn't it? _Sakura thought with a somewhat sardonic smile. She doubted Sasuke was even _going_ anyway.

The ballroom looked magical. Many people from outside the academy had been invited as well, so the ballroom was packed to the gills with women in brilliantly colored dresses and men in their dress uniforms. Inside, there was a string quartet assembled and people were dancing. Stepping inside the ballroom was like stepping into another world.

Sakura caught sight of Mai, Neji, and Itachi, as well as the librarian who hovered nearby, shooting Itachi nervous glances. She had let her green hair out of its braids and it cascaded prettily around her shoulders. Sakura smiled to herself. _I guess she has a crush on Itachi...but he doesn't seem to notice. _Actually, Itachi didn't seem to be noticing much, and looked distracted. There was a far away look in his eyes that made Sakura wonder if something had happened.

Sakura approached them. Mai was, like the men, wearing a uniform. Neji and Itachi both looked quite dashing as usual.

"Sakura, you couldn't look more lovely," Itachi greeted pleasantly. Neji's eyes flicked over her dress.

"Not bad," he conceded. "Where's Sasuke?"

Sakura shrugged, feeling her cheeks heat up. "I haven't seen him, and got tired of waiting for him to get back and get ready."

Mai raised her eyebrows at this but said nothing.

"Sakura!" Sebastien appeared out of nowhere, looking adorable in his uniform. Sakura felt the butterflies build up in her stomach anew. He seemed nervous about approaching her, but fought through it. He was so lanky and towered above everyone else—if Sasuke had had that kind of height, he would have certainly used it to his advantage. As it were, Sasuke was only slightly taller than average height. Sebastien hunched slightly, as if continually apologizing for his height. Before he reached them, Sakura could have sworn she'd heard Itachi mutter something about excellent actors, but then Sebastien stood before her.

"You mean _Instructor Uchiha,_" Neji corrected. "Demerit," he said icily. Sebastien blushed, looking sheepish.

"I'm sorry Instructor, you just...you don't look much like a teacher right now. I'm sorry," he said sweetly. "You look more like...I don't know, one of those models or something."

His naivete was what did it for Sakura, and she felt her blush spread from her cheeks to the rest of her body. She locked eyes with Sebastien. He was the sweetest boy she had ever met—how could Sasuke beat up someone like him? And how could he possibly have been faking like Neji had suggested?

"Thank you," she replied genuinely.

"Um...I was wondering..." Sebastien began nervously, "...I know you're my teacher and all, but..."

"Spit it out," Neji snapped impatiently. Sakura shot him a glare, but he just met her gaze levelly.

"...Would you like to dance with me? Just one song," he finished hastily. Sakura felt herself smiling, and she chose to ignore the reproachful stare of Neji, the confusion of Mai, and something that she couldn't quite read from Itachi.

"I would love to."

–

Sasuke hated dancing. He hated fancy events. He hated dressing up. And right now, he could have sworn he hated Sakura with every fiber of his being. So why was he going to this stupid ball, anyway? He pondered this while he walked, wearing his newly pressed dress uniform, towards the ballroom. On the way, he ran into Gaara.

"Late too? Where's Sakura?" he greeted by asking. Sasuke shrugged.

"Probably there already," he said, hoping to sound nonchalant. Gaara seemed happy enough with his answer. But when they got inside, Sasuke felt like he'd been slapped across the face. For the second time this week, he had walked in on Sakura dancing with Sebastien.

"What the fuck," Gaara said under his breath, but Sasuke didn't give him time to finish. He turned on his heel and stormed out before Sakura ahd the chance to notice he had come to the ball at all. He couldn't compose his facial features into something that didn't look like hurt or jealousy at the moment—he found he didn't have the command over his body right now. Adrenaline coursed through his veins. He hated Sebastien, but even more than that, he _hated_ Sakura.

"Sasuke."

The voice stopped him in his tracks. Now he stood outside, on the path between the main campus and the ballroom, surrounded by fireflies. It should have been a beautiful evening, but Sasuke took no notice of it. He froze, and turned around. Itachi was striding after him, looking the opposite of how Sasuke felt: cool, collected, composed.

"You're an Uchiha," he said when he reached Sasuke. Sasuke wanted to laugh, but felt no humor. This single fact alone was what had ruined his life forever, at least in Konoha. He knew all too well of his heritage. "Uchiha men are known for having what other men covet, but the thing is, they alone possess it."

Itachi paused to let these words sink in as he regarded Sasuke carefully.

"There's nothing I can do," Sasuke replied. "I don't even _want_ Sakura anymore," he added quickly, feeling the venom in his words. It was a relief and yet, strangely enough, it made everything hurt again. Itachi looked impatient.

"Any idiot could see you're lying, little brother. You look like you're about to cry."

At this, Sasuke turned his head away fiercely.

"There's no reason for me to care so much," he said, feeling his voice become thick with the onset of something he hadn't felt in years: tears. Itachi placed a cool hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"Yes there is. You love her."

"No, I don't," he said forcefully, still careful to face away from Itachi in case he did indeed begin to cry.

"Sasuke, you write songs for her. When she gets hurt, you panic. If it were anyone else, would you really care what they thought happened when you sparred with Sebastien?"

It was a good question. He didn't know how Itachi knew about it, anyway. Sasuke considered it. "No, you wouldn't," Itachi answered for him. "Because that's who you are. You are a primarily selfish and extremely self-assured man. You wouldn't even care what mother or father thought about it.

"But Sakura? You've been anxious to win her favor since the very moment you felt you didn't have it anymore. Once her silly crush on you melted away, and once she began taking care of you after you fucked up that mission in the Fleurian mountain range, you suddenly weren't so sure of how fantastic you were. Sakura had always been there to reinforce your enormous ego, but once she stopped doting on you, you stopped being so sure of yourself."

Itachi paused. Sasuke felt sick at his words. So in this world, their dynamic had been the same: Sakura had obsessed like a giddy little schoolgirl over him for years...and then suddenly stopped. And it looked like the version of him here didn't like it one bit either. "And you tried to convince yourself that it was just because you were _accustomed_ to always having Sakura's attention. Then, she started going out with Shikamaru. Maybe you've forgotten breaking his nose, but no one else has, Sasuke. Sakura brings out the best in you, but she also brings out the worst in you."

"Are you done assessing my character yet," Sasuke asked coldly.

"No, I'm not. Let me tell you this, Sasuke: when you meet a woman who can do something like that, who has that much power over you, you don't stop and make excuses. You grab her, and you cling for dear life. Because it's that kind of woman who will make your life worth living. You've found her, Sasuke. Hell, you've even married her. And now, you're going to let some pathetic little _baby_ like Delaflote take that away?"

Sasuke had never heard so much emotion in Itachi's voice. When he turned to face his brother, he expected that Itachi's eyes would be filled with hatred and disgust for him.

But when he turned around, Itachi's black eyes were shining with love and empathy.

Itachi didn't need to say anything more. He was right. It was time to stop making excuses and to admit what he felt. He wasn't sure it was the same deep love that the version of him here felt for Sakura, but it was something powerful, because almost every incident that Itachi had cited had occurred while he had been in this world. Sakura made him _act_. She made him feel and do things that he would have normally considered ridiculous. She made him feel angry at himself, question his actions and his character, and regret the selfish things he had done.

All he wanted to do was make Sebastien suffer for trying to take away Sakura, who was vulnerable to Sebastien's flattery that came across as genuine. She probably was so desperate for someone to think she was something _more_ than just the smartest girl around. She probably wanted someone to treat her like other girls were treated. And, somehow, Sebastien must have sensed this.

Then, there was the bigger problem: it was a painful thing to acknowledge, but Sakura probably didn't have feelings for Sasuke anymore. But he wasn't going to dwell on it, because Itachi was right: Sasuke had met the woman who made his life worth living. And come hell or high water, he was going to cling to her with every ounce of strength he had—even if she tried her very best to shake him away.

Inside, Sakura and Sebastien were still twirling in each other's arms, and the sight made Sasuke enraged anew. He stormed over to the couple, bumping into and eliciting angry words from other dancing couples, but he didn't care or stop to apologize. He was on a mission.

His eyes remained fixated on Sebastien. Sebastien, that slimy piece of—well, nevermind—was currently pressing his hand at the small of Sakura's back, leaning in so that they were pressed into each other. Sasuke's hands shook with rage.

"Delaflote," he announced his presence, causing Sakura and Sebastien to halt their dancing immediately.

Sakura stared at Sasuke. He was clad in the impressive dress uniform, and the sight made her weak in the knees in a way that she had never before experienced in her life. Sasuke was like a live wire right now, positively vibrating with energy. His eyes were dark with passionate anger, his cheeks flushed. He may have been shorter than Sebastien but in that moment seemed to tower over everyone. Her breath nearly stopped as she gazed at him. She couldn't stop her eyes from trailing over the jaw line that she knew so well—it was so perfectly shaped that, had it been a drawing, could have moved a person to tears. Those smooth lips, almost pretty. The strong neck and adam's apple, a display of masculinity that somehow beckoned Sakura. His shoulders, rigid and straight, broad but not too broad. The strong, proud chest. His beautiful, masculine, shapely hands clenched into tight fists at his sides. Sakura's mouth went dry. Why did he have to be so damn _perfect?_

"Y-yes, Instructor Uchiha?" Sebastien asked politely. Oddly enough, Sasuke smiled rather pleasantly at him, which was warning enough for Sakura. Sasuke only smiled at the misfortune of others.

"I'm not even going to bother with a demerit," he said coolly, before pulling back and punching Sebastien in the face.

There was a gasp from everyone watching. Sebastien stumbled backwards, clutching his face, before crumpling to the ground, moaning loudly. Every few seconds, he sent her a little glance—as though to be sure she was still watching.

"Ow," he whined, clutching the side of his face. Neji appeared by him.

"Shut up. Uchiha didn't even hit you that hard. If you can't take a silly punch thrown by an Instructor, you're worthless to the academy," he said, in the typical cool disdain that was classic of Neji.

Sakura could only stare at Sasuke in total and utter confusion. Neji led Sebastien away, and suddenly, they were alone together. The music hadn't stopped, but no one was dancing, as they all stood watching for the unpredictable next move of Sasuke.

"What is this all about, Sasuke?" she asked in a harsh whisper. "You just want everyone to think you're the big man around here, and that no one should mess with you. But you're not fooling me," she continued, feeling unreasonably enraged. She _knew _that Sasuke really hadn't hit Sebastien hard. It had only been a hard enough hit to surprise and stun the younger soldier. "I'm not the stupid girl I was when we were genin."

"I don't care what anyone thinks, actually," he said plainly. "Except..." he paused. Suddenly he couldn't go on. It was easy to admit in his head how he felt about Sakura, but admitting it not only out loud but to her was something else entirely.

"What?" she prodded, though her rage had lost the wind in its sails suddenly. There was something about the way Sasuke wouldn't meet her gaze now that had her feeling like she was fighting a losing battle, though she wasn't sure over what. _He couldn't mean he cares about _my _opinion. That's impossible._

"...I can't dance. But I'd be willing to try. Once," he said finally. Sakura gaped at him as he stepped forward, glancing around and trying to make it look like he knew what he was doing. A surge of love for him went through her body. Sasuke couldn't bear to embarrass himself and look unskilled at anything. It was a flaw, yet it made her want to reach out and hug him. Why? It was such a strange feeling. Wordlessly, Sakura adjusted his hands in the same way Sebastien's had been on her moments before, and they began dancing, with Sakura leading.

The strangest thing was, it felt _nothing_ like dancing with Sebastien. Where mild, anxious butterflies had been, there were now killer bees. There were so many feelings going through Sakura that she couldn't separate one from the other, and was grateful for the mechanical motion of the dancing to focus on. Sasuke was a fast learner, and soon they were gliding gracefully around the floor. It had been one thing to dance with Sebastien; dancing with Sasuke was a different affair altogether.

"I'm sorry for not believing you about Sebastien," Sakura murmured just before Sasuke twirled her. He said nothing, but there was an unreadable expression in his dark eyes. "I'm just...afraid of believing you're a good man. Because of how I used to feel about you," she confessed.

It would have hurt less if she had stabbed him. Sasuke tried not to cringe. _How I used to feel about you._ So she didn't want him. It was official.

The music began to build into a crescendo. Every time their eyes met, Sakura felt a prickle of intense feeling. She had been lying in part just then, but she didn't want him to know how she felt. He couldn't possibly have feelings for her, at all. He was just playing the part of the caring husband now, she was sure of it. The thought burned inside of her. _Well, at least now I know that Sebastien's a huge liar._

When the crescendo had hit its final note, every other man dipped his dancing partner, as was customary for this kind of dance. But Sakura and Sasuke only stayed in each other's arms, staring at each other. Somehow, just then, something had burst between them. Sakura couldn't put her finger on what had happened, but something was different.

Sasuke knew Sakura didn't have feelings for him now for sure, but the way she looked at him made him feel otherwise. For right now, he decided, he wouldn't worry about the consequences. Itachi had told him to cling for dear life because this was the person who made him _feel_ things other than hatred and bitterness for what had happened to him. This girl—no, this woman—had the power to stop him on his own path to self destruction.

So, he leaned forward, and just as fireworks broke out overhead, he kissed her.


	9. 8: Not In Love

Isekai

Author's note: Changed the rating! Finally some smut-like elements! Oh, and still looking for a beta if anyone wants the job.

Chapter Eight—Not In Love

Sasuke pulled back abruptly, afraid to look at her face in case he might find a look of disgust or repulsion. Their eyes met, but Sakura's expression was unreadable to him. He searched her jade eyes for some hint of what she was feeling, but found nothing. Was it possible that Sakura had built up a wall between her own heart and the rest of the world, just as he and Naruto had? Or had all those years apart rendered them, for all intents and purposes, strangers?

But what to say now? How could he explain the kiss to Sakura when he couldn't even explain it to himself?

Sasuke began to search his mind for some sort of nonchalant excuse, but he was saved by the sudden halt of the music. Where the string quartet was stationed, Novia stood, clutching a microphone. Everyone turned to look at the string quartet and found Novia, whose obvious drunken state put Sakura and Sasuke on edge. His wobbling, ruddy face was shiny with sweat and gleamed among the well-lit room.

"Attention, everyone," he said. The microphone gave off some startling feedback. "What a lovely night this has turned out to be," Novia slurred drunkenly, swaying on his feet. "But I must make an announcement: I am stepping down from my post as commander, and appointing someone else," he began, his eyes looking beady as he glanced around the room."I appoint Itachi Uchiha as my successor."

There was a collective gasp in the ballroom as all eyes swung to the older Uchiha, who stood off to the side. He seemed hardly surprised about Novia's words. In this moment, he looked so strikingly like Sasuke that Sakura could only stare. His expression had hardened and his eyes were staring at a point in time that only he could see. "He's the academy's finest; the cream of the crop. Especially with new troubles brewing, we are lucky to have a man like Itachi Uchiha. He was meant to lead," Novia said almost proudly.

Sasuke felt rage building up inside of him. So Novia was getting nervous about the situation with Kalaia, and moving out of the way for his own safety. It was obvious what he was doing—to have stepped down so suddenly must have meant that Novia had inside information._ He's always just a pawn..._

Finally, Novia finished his speech. There was weak clapping, but mostly, everyone stared at Itachi in shock. Itachi's face was impassive; his features had been carefully arranged into an expression that gave away nothing. _Just like Mother and Father taught us to do…_Any time he had been on the verge of tears, he had been forced to hide his pain, to give away nothing. His father had said, 'if your enemy can see your pain, you've already lost.'

The music began again, and dazedly, everyone returned to their dancing. Sakura and Sasuke saw Itachi disappear out of the doors, alone.

"You have to go after him," Sakura said, looking up at Sasuke. "He needs you," she added. Sasuke nodded silently and as quickly as he could without drawing attention to himself, went after his brother.

The night had cooled down significantly. Sasuke saw Itachi's figure retreating towards the beach, his long hair flying in the sea breeze. Sasuke broke into a jog to catch up with the longer legs of his brother. When they had both reached the sand, they stopped.

"Please excuse me for now, Sasuke," Itachi said rather sharply. Sasuke swallowed. _Itachi went after me when I needed it. Sakura's right...he needs me. I must persevere._

"I'm sorry Novia appointed you," Sasuke said quickly. Itachi's gaze jerked back to Sasuke in surprise.

"It's a great honor-"

"Cut the bullshit. We both know this means trouble. You didn't even look surprised."

Sasuke's words fell like lead to the ground. Itachi pressed his lips together and looked back at the sea.

"You're growing wiser, little brother. Perhaps not in matters of love, but..." Itachi trailed off, smiling slightly. "Novia hadn't told me but I knew it when he met with the President of Fleuria last week, and when he assigned you to meet with him next week. He's strengthening our bond with Fleuria."

"Why is he stepping down then?"

"Because he doesn't want to be the one who takes a bullet," Itachi said plainly. Sasuke clenched his fists.

"I'd rather it be him than you. That coward," he said through his teeth. He couldn't bear to lose Itachi again. Not like this.

"There's something bigger than either of us going on here. I don't understand it fully yet, but...I'm beginning to put together the pieces. It's inevitable, really. I just would have liked the time I had left to be more pleasurable. Now I won't have time to spend with mother and father."

"You have to let me help you," Sasuke insisted. He moved closer to his brother. Itachi looked at Sasuke with a glimmer of pleading.

"Mother wants grandchildren. I can't do it but you can," he said with a faint smile. Sasuke glowered.

"Quit talking nonsense; I want to help you stay alive-"

"It's futile, Sasuke. The only way you can help me now is by doing the things that I can't—like making mother and father happy. Please, just do that. If I need your help otherwise, I'll let you know."

"No, you'll just send Sakura off on little missions. And no, she didn't tell me. I figured it out when I asked you where she went yesterday," Sasuke snarled. "I'm your brother—why can't you trust me?"

"Because you're too brash and likely to get yourself into trouble," Itachi said sharply. "You don't understand how everything in life fits together. You just see what's in front of you, like a crazed animal. I can't trust you with delicate matters, because you'll just do whatever pigheaded thing you choose to do, without listening to me."

Sasuke recoiled. Did Itachi really think so poorly of him? "Please...just try to keep your own life in order. That's all. Make mother and father happy. Leave me alone for now, please."

–

At Itachi's request, Sasuke left, feeling like he had been beaten. The ball was still going on, but he had no desire to set foot back there. He returned to the apartment. Training was usually what he did to deal with emotions he couldn't handle, but he had been depleted of all his energy.

When he got back, Sakura was sitting on the bed, grading papers. Her dress lay over a chair and she was wearing sweatpants and a tee shirt.

"Well?"

Sasuke had no words for her. He was too hurt to even care about the kiss that had happened earlier.

"You can't stop destiny," he said simply, before going into the bathroom to shower and slamming the door.

He stepped under the stream of hot water, having left his dress uniform in a pile on the ground. He slumped against the tile wall, letting the scalding water beat down his back. The door opened, and through the steamed glass he saw Sakura's slim figure. He watched as she stood near the shower door. The lights in the bathroom were off. His breaths were shallow as he wondered if she could see his body through the fogged glass.

"Tell me what happened," she said softly. Sasuke found he couldn't speak; once again he was on the verge of tears—a strange sensation considering he hadn't cried in years, and yet, twice in one day, he had nearly been reduced to a crying mess. _Well, when it rains it pours._"Come on," Sakura said. She reached into the shower and turned the water off, and handed him a towel. He dried off and wrapped it around his body, waiting for her to leave, but she didn't. Sasuke pushed past her and into the bedroom, where he retrieved a pair of sweatpants and put them on while covering up his body with the towel. It was uncomfortable to have Sakura just standing there, but he could only bring himself to care so much. He had been hurt in a deep way by Itachi, and hurt by the fact that once again, Itachi was going to be used.

"Tell me," Sakura insisted again, walking towards him. Out of nowhere, Sasuke felt a bubble of rage—at his life, at Itachi's life, at destiny—burst and he turned around and slammed the door to his wardrobe shut. He moved to the kitchen and kicked a chair out of the way, and opened up the cabinet. When he dropped a dish on the ground and watched it shatter, he was pleased with the horrific crashing sound. It was nice to see something shatter as his own life had been shattered. "Stop," Sakura commanded. Sasuke moved to take another dish out, but Sakura stopped him. He pushed her away, but she held on surprisingly tight, glaring into his eyes.

"You can't always just destroy things when you feel angry, Sasuke," she said harshly. This only angered Sasuke further.

"Why," he began, hurling a dish across the room to the opposite wall, "does everyone," and another dish went, "feel the need to assess my character?" and another.

"Because you're seventeen and have the emotional capacity of a seven year old."

"I wonder why," Sasuke drawled sarcastically, searching the drawers for more fragile things to destroy.

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself. It only weakens you."

"What's the point of becoming strong? No matter where you go, the people you love die."

"Itachi didn't have to die. You killed him."

Sasuke froze, as did Sakura. She knew this time that she had gone too far..._much_ too far. Sasuke looked at her, and it was then that he completely lost control of himself. He began thrashing around, trying to break or hurt whatever he could—but Sakura held onto him tight, in a fierce hug. At last he began to calm down, taking in big gulping breaths. Sakura felt wetness on her cheek and looked up. The sight she saw shocked her.

Sasuke was crying.

They sank to the floor, Sakura still clutching him around his torso.

It hurt. It hurt so much more than he could have ever imagined. He wanted to die, because that was the only way he could have freed himself of the horrible, all-consuming guilt that raked over him like pieces of broken glass, shredded him and reopening the wounds that had been created years ago. He wanted relief, but there was no way except in death. He began to move towards the broken dishes on the ground—he needed relief, and he needed it now. He needed the peace of death. Soon, he told himself, it'd be over. He would never need to feel this way again.

But Sakura hit his hand so that he dropped the broken piece.

"Sasuke, calm down. That isn't going to solve anything. You can't do that to your parents."

Sasuke didn't want to hear it. He wanted to die—no, he _needed_ to die. But Itachi's words rang in his mind: _Because that's who you are. You are a primarily selfish and extremely self-assured man._

"I'm so selfish," Sasuke blurted out. "But it doesn't matter. How could my parents love someone like me? No one could love this."

Sakura could only stare at Sasuke. She had never seen him this emotional. It was like a dam had burst. This was what he had been hiding, for so long—a guilt as big as a forest fire, burning everything in sight, raging across his soul. He _knew_ the things he had done were terrible, and he obviously regretted them. So much that it was driving him insane. He had been cornered and for years had been trying in desperation to find a way out. Yet every 'way out' that he had found only brought him more pain in the end.

"You can redeem yourself," Sakura said, shaking him.

"No, it's fated—"

"Stop!" she cried. "Stop romanticizing yourself like this. There is no such thing as destiny. Itachi hasn't died here yet, has he? The situations may be similar, but nothing's happened yet. You have a choice here, just like you did then. You already made your choice in Konoha, but you haven't yet here. Nothing's ruined, or fated. You can either make the selfish decision you made back in Konoha, or you can rise to meet this 'fate' as you call it, and strive for a better future."

Sasuke seemed to have heard her, and she thought the storm had passed when he relaxed and straightened—but he flung her hands away from him and turned on his heel, and ran out of the apartment.

"Wait, Sasuke..." Sakura watched the door shut behind him. She had expected to feel anger or frustration towards him, but instead, she only felt pity. He was so much like a wounded animal right now, trying to run from his pain—but he was carrying his pain with him. Calmly, she went after him.

Sasuke took the back way out of the academy. The night air felt soothing against his bare skin, for he was still only wearing the sweatpants he had donned. His mind was a chaotic mess that he no longer felt he had any control over. He was at his own mind's mercy entirely, and it was causing him great suffering.

_I hate myself._

He couldn't bear that particular thought. For if he hated himself, then what could he do? He was still the same person, even if he traveled to another universe. He hadn't magically changed and become a good, strong person with ideals and principles—he was still the confused little seven year old boy, hurting and miserable, inside a seventeen year old's body. Sakura was right: despite all of the pain he had experienced, it hadn't furthered him at all. He was frozen in time, trapped in the moment he had slid aside the shoji to reveal his parents' dead bodies.

So he ran, even if he knew it was useless. He couldn't run from himself, but he wanted to try. Gaulin countryside flew by; he didn't know where he was going anymore. Only the sound of a hoverboard pulled him out of his own tangled web of thoughts. Sakura floated next to him, looking sympathetic.

"Go away," he ordered, trying to run in a different direction. They were far from the academy now; it was just a cluster of pinpricks of light in the distance, as was the city of Gaulin. Nearby, the ocean roared.

"I'm not going anywhere," Sakura replied defiantly, following him wherever he went. "You're stuck with me, Sasuke. Just as you're stuck with yourself."

_Cling to her for dear life,_ Itachi's words echoed in his mind.

"No," Sasuke yelled, unsure of whether in response to Sakura's or Itachi's words.

"Sasuke...having emotional bonds with others is what makes the pain go away," she said pleadingly, still following him. "Naruto's so strong now because he relies on others. A bridge isn't very strong if there's just one stick holding it up, is it? People are the same way. Bonds with others make you stronger...so that when bad things happen to you, you can let some of the weight rest on other's shoulders. Otherwise, the grief is too heavy—and you snap under the pressure."

"Like you know so damn much about grief," Sasuke snarled. "Tell me, have your parents ever died? Has your older brother been forced to massacre your entire extended famil-"

"No," Sakura interrupted him, her eyes flashing. It took Sasuke aback and made him pay attention. "But the grief I felt when you left nearly killed me."

It felt like she had punched him, for the wind had been taken out of him. Sasuke could only stare at her. "It wasn't anything to do with my crush, Sasuke. I felt like you and Naruto were my best—no, my _only_ friends. I used to get bullied more than Naruto, but no one cared, because everyone thought my life was perfect. I had two loving parents, so what more could I want? And I was too scared to tell anyone what happened. Ino helped, sometimes, but there were times when no one could help me. I was so sad, and lonely, and scared. And when you or Naruto would save me, or protect me, or even help me get stronger, it made me feel like I was actually _worth_ something. Then you left, and it hurt Naruto so badly too that we couldn't help each other much. I wondered about why anyone bothered doing anything—because if your best friend can leave you, then what other pain awaits us all around the next turn?"

Sasuke was silent. "Leaving Konoha caused everyone pain, including yourself, Sasuke. Does it still seem like the right decision?"

"Fuck you," Sasuke said quietly. "I can't spend my life caring about other people's feelings."

"Then what are you going to do with your life? Wallow in your own pity? That seems to have gotten you a lot of happiness," Sakura replied sarcastically. "The thing is, both Naruto and I learned to integrate our grief into our lives—not let it drive us completely. So while I will always remember the pain I felt when you left, I won't keep reopening that wound by letting my pain tell me what to do."

Sakura jumped off her hoverboard and moved towards Sasuke hesitantly, holding out her hand. "Learn from your mistakes. Most people don't get a second chance—but you have."

"I can't get through that kind of pain again," Sasuke said, ignoring her hand.

"We can try to save Itachi," she said soothingly, stepping closer again. "He doesn't have to die yet."

Her words were like balm on his heart, calming him. "And in the meantime, we can learn a happier way of living...together. We were friends, Sasuke. Can't we be that again?"

Sasuke pressed his lips together. He wanted more than friendship from Sakura, if he were honest with himself, but he could never tell her that. She had seen too much of him to love him, anyway. She was offering him friendship, and he knew that Itachi was, of course, right—Sakura was the person who could save him from himself.

He took her hand and clasped it tightly. This time, he decided, he would never let go.

Still half-asleep, Sakura noted that there was something warm around her. _Arms. Someone is holding me…_ and then she felt the lightest trace of fingertips reach underneath the hem of her shirt, sliding along her stomach, grazing the top of her sweatpants. A kind of heat seemed to unfurl in the pit of her stomach, and Sakura sighed happily. It felt amazing, whatever it was. She snuggled closer into the warmth, enjoying the feeling of the fingertips brushing further up her shirt. She could feel the palm now, too, as the hand rested between her ribs, sending little ribbons of heat along her flesh as it inched further before coming to her bra. Something-a mouth, a tongue-flicked at the back of her neck. Fingertips explored the underwire of her bra briefly before racing back to the waistband on her sweats, dipping underneath a little more playfully, snapping at the elastic. To her embarrassment, this action elicited a moan from her. Now she could feel the fingers on her bra again, sliding around to her back and beginning to unhook her bra. The fabric around her chest loosened and she felt it being pushed away, freeing her breasts. She let out another groan, pressing her body further into whoever was touching her. She could feel his excitement too, and it caused more heat to flare in places she hadn't thought possible. Kisses were trailed along her neck and Sakura flipped onto her back to see who was doing such wonderful things…only to see Sasuke above her, beginning to slide her shirt off of her body. Sakura gasped but didn't protest, seeing his dark eyes so full of lust. She arched against him-

"Sakura!"

Sakura's eyes shot open. Sasuke was shaking her roughly; he looked worried.

"Wh-wha…" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. Sasuke was indeed above her, but her bra was securely in place and her shirt was definitely still on. "Wha's going on," she grumbled.

"You were having a nightmare… You kept twitching and whimpering," he said almost accusingly. Sakura felt her face heat up with embarrassment.

"Oh…thanks for waking me up," she managed to stammer. The pale light told her it was dawn-it had only been a few hours since they'd fallen asleep. Usually, Sasuke was the one with the nightmares, and Sakura would try to gently awaken him. It looked like this time, he was trying to do the same for her.

Except he had woken her from what was basically her first sex dream, with him as the subject. She was sure her face could not get any redder.

"Um…do you want to talk about it…?" Sasuke asked uncomfortably, sitting back on his heels. Sakura laughed.

"No, I don't even know what it was about," she said with a blase wave of her hand. Unfortunately, she was beginning to feel tense and she recognized it as frustration. She had never done anything with anyone because of her intense and busy schedule, and also because…she paused mentally, looking out the enormous windows at the choppy waves. _Also because….what? _"Do you want to spar?" she turned to him suddenly.

"…Sure?" he sounded bemused by her behavior. She knew she probably should have left him sleep some more-after all, it was a Sunday and there were no obligations today-but she felt like sparring with all her energy. There was a strange heat left lingering from her dream and it was making her anxious to not have it sated.

They began getting dressed and she happened to turn around just as he was zipping up the black standard issue pants. He was still shirtless, the pale morning light accentuating the almost artistic planes of his body nicely.

"Oh, god, sorry," she mumbled, whirling back around again and going bright red.

…Something told her it was going to be a hell of a long day.


	10. 9: Neji's Curse

Isekai

Author's Note: So after your reviews from the last chapter, I realized that I screwed up and apparently didn't actually change the rating. Well, no big deal. There's a little bit of lemony content in this chapter. Let me know if you guys think things are moving too fast. This chapter is pretty packed with stuff, and turned out to be really long. Hope it's not too long please review!

Chapter Nine: Neji's Curse

Sasuke struggled out of the long-sleeved shirt he had put on earlier; sparring with Sakura had proven to be more difficult than he had expected and he was beginning to sweat. It was dawn now, painting purple and pink streaks on both Konohans as they sparred. They-meaning Sakura-had chosen the beach as a change of scenery, and even though Sasuke had been reluctant at first, it was turning out to be a nice idea. The sand between his toes was satisfyingly scratchy and he had missed the sound of waves.

"Come on, you're not going all out!" Sakura scolded from a few feet away. "I _know_ you aren't."

He wasn't, it was true-he was barely awake. Why Sakura had insisted they wake up so early (especially after going to sleep so late) was beyond him. He supposed her nightmare was the cause.

"Fine, whatever." With a round kick, he sent Sakura flying backwards, landing on her behind in the sand. She even had the nerve to look surprised. Sasuke placed a hand at the base of his spine-with every extreme movement like that, he felt a painful twinge. It most likely was due to the injury he had suffered here years ago, but it was still frustrating.

"Uh oh, Sasuke's turning into an old man!" Sakura sang, sitting up and stretching a bit. "Good spar though-when we first got here we were a little closer in skill," she continued, walking closer to him. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Yeah yeah, maybe you should train with Kakashi or Neji sometime and you won't be such a weak opponent," he snickered. Sakura seemed hardly offended and was walking closer, a small smile on her face. "….Uh oh," was all Sasuke could say before she reached out, slapped his arm, and declared tag.

"Seriously?" he groaned, watching her sprint away, laughing maniacally. "You are, and always will be, completely and utterly insane." he reluctantly began running after her, following her along the shoreline, his long-sleeved shirt left crumpled in the sand. Sakura wasn't a terribly fast runner, but she was smart, and kept barely dodging his hand. "Come back here!" he grunted impatiently. Sakura actually giggled, a noise he hadn't heard from her since genin days.

"Of-course-not!" she panted between ducking away from him. "If you catch me, you'll win, because I'll never be able to get you again!"

She led him into the little mass of tangled trees and brush down the hill and out of sight from the academy. Taking advantage of her notably petite form, she slid in between two rocks, disappearing into the thicket. Sasuke swore, whipping out a pocketknife and hacking at the bramble. "Aww, is wittle Sasuke afraid of getting his hair messed up?" Sakura's disembodied voice was further than he had expected, and Sasuke let out another string of expletives, kicking at a rock and shortly thereafter regretting it. Bouncing on one foot in pain, he stumbled into the bramble head first, earning a laugh from Sakura.

"You are in so much trouble, Sakura," he warned angrily, finally giving up at hacking and crawling underneath the mess of sticks and vines.

"Ooh, that almost sounded like bedroom talk!"

Sasuke cursed Sakura colorfully before crawling faster, his annoyance-and something different, like maybe he was secretly enjoying their game-fueling him enough to forget the sting of the brambles. Soon enough, he could see a faint bit of pink ahead. They were coming to the edge of the bramble-thank god-and he was quickly gaining on Sakura.

"How's this for bedroom talk?" he demanded, letting out a laugh before grabbing hold of Sakura's little foot just as she was climbing out of the thicket. He dragged her back down. "Come back to my lair," he heard himself joking in a dark, evil-sounding voice. Sakura let out a delighted shriek as she tumbled backwards through the vines and sticks to land with her head directly on his lap. Sasuke looked down at Sakura before picking a leaf out of her hair. "…I win."

"…And yet…" Sakura sat up, and Sasuke got ready to make a run for it when Sakura tapped his arm. "Tag! No tag backs!"

"Goddammit Sakura!"

They stumbled out of the thicket, both covered in sticks, leaves, and dirt, Sasuke chasing Sakura through the trees and out the other side. Here, large boulders dotted the surf. Sakura hid behind a rock as they both paused, panting. "How am I supposed to win now, if you've already said I can't tag you? Do I just chase you forever then?" he called out, glowering. Sakura poked her head out from behind the rock.

"…Welcome to my world, Sasuke," she replied sarcastically with a wry grin on her face. With a glower, Sasuke darted after her, though she seemed to have given up, because as he tackled her, they tumbled into the surf together. A wave crashed against them. Sakura lay beneath Sasuke, her head raised up above the water. He was bolstered above her, his hands propping him up, his legs tangled with hers. "Doesn't this feel like a magical place? We can't even see the academy from here," she breathed, looking all around them. When their eyes met, Sasuke felt his heart pounding. Amid all of the emotional drama of the night before, he had nearly forgotten their kiss. But now it came back to him in stark clarity, for Sakura was now here before him again, fully in his possession. Her cheeks and lips were flushed as pink as her hair, and her eyes matched the water around them, her lips parted in surprise and, maybe, a little bit of anticipation. He suddenly found himself dipping his head lower, closer to her, their eyes locked. _Stop it. Don't do it. _

"It does feel spiritual," he agreed, pushing himself away from her abruptly. "Great, now we're soaked," he grumbled, the saltwater running in rivulets down his face.

"It's a nice way to cool off though, isn't it?" she teased, splashing him. Sasuke could only bring himself to glower at her, and even that didn't last long. This peace, this happy carefree feeling: he hadn't felt it in so many years. For once, every dark thought had been pushed out of his mind, leaving him only with the happiness of this moment, of being caught under a spell with Sakura. She was like the sun, shining directly overhead, banishing all shadows from him. He had never thought she could make him feel so calm in his heart. How could this girl who had once been nothing more than an annoyance have such power over him?

….Had she really always been a mere nuisance?

"We should get back to the academy." he stood up out of the water. Sakura remained sitting, staring up at him with wide eyes. He felt self-conscious, like she had known what he was thinking.

Then he noticed the effect the cold water had had on her white tee shirt-he hadn't realized it was so thin and sheer-and he turned sharply on his heel, already beginning to walk away. It was the only way he could hide the fierce blush on his cheeks.

Sakura felt frustrated. No, it was worse-she felt helpless, and so she felt angry, and it was definitely more intense than mere frustration.

First, to counteract the effects of her little dream, she had thought a spar might help. Physical exercise could cure any problem, she had reasoned. Had this worked? No, of course not. She had forgotten that the object of her dream looked even more appealing when sweaty and concentrating. Then, it had gotten worse-she had begun to flirt in a very serious way. By the time she realized what she was doing, she was already in the thicket, being pulled backwards by said object of desire. Then when they had tumbled into the water and he had been above her, her frustration had been multiplied and then raised exponentially.

And the reason she felt helpless? Because once again, she was slipping back into her feelings of love for Sasuke. And because sometimes she felt like he had opened up to her, only to close himself off again. It was worse to get a glimpse of what you really wanted than to have never laid eyes on it, of course, and Sakura had repeatedly been made to feel like she and Sasuke were starting to get somewhere. The kiss from the night before had felt real. Then when she had talked him into coming back with her later that night, she had seen something in his eyes-some glimmer, some reflection-that bespoke a connection.

Or maybe she was just reading too much into these moments, because then he'd become cold and standoffish again, and abandon her emotionally. She had always known it, and Naruto and Kakashi had always commented on it, but now, she knew without a doubt: Sasuke had more mood swings and PMS than even Ino could shake a stick at.

Sakura pressed her lips together to prevent a stray giggle from slipping out at the thought of Sasuke buying tampons, but began chuckling to herself anyway. She was walking down the hall toward the cafeteria to pick up some food to go, but luckily no one was around. _Probably sleeping late after the festivities. _A lone figure strode towards her, and soon, Sakura realized it was Mai. Weirdly familiar, strangely masculine, oddly intuitive Mai. She was not wearing a skirt or lipstick today, and her masculinity was striking without the girly accessories. _Where_ did Sakura know her from? She was positive she didn't know anyone named Mai, and this woman seemed too familiar to have been a chance encounter in her own world.

"Oh, Mai!" Sakura greeted brightly, pushing away her pondering. The woman glanced up, her dark eyes meeting Sakura's. "I was just going to go pick up some lunch for me and Sasuke," Sakura said, implying that she was inviting Mai.

"Good for you. Your hair looks terrible by the way," she replied with a placid smile. Sakura gasped, her eyes widening, but Mai had long since passed her by the time she had recovered from the shock.

"Th-that _bitch!"_

"Your meeting with the president has been pushed back; I have a new assignment for you in the meantime for this afternoon," Itachi explained from underneath his desk, which was piled high with stacks of paperwork. Sasuke, Sakura, Mai, and Neji stood on the other side. Sakura was barely able to conceal spikes of indignation toward Mai; Mai however seemed amused by Sakura's ire.

Only Mai and Sakura were standing at attention; Sasuke and Neji knew Itachi too well to bother with formalities. "You four will be going together to the caves of Elitherael for some scouting. It shouldn't take you more than the afternoon; I doubt we'll be finding anything. However, just in case, I want people who can handle any kind of situation."

"…And what exactly are we looking for?" Neji spoke up, raising an eyebrow. Itachi went to sit up but hit his head on the desk.

"Ow! …Kalaia's radio tower should be fresh in your mind, Neji," Itachi replied with a grin, rubbing the sore spot on his head. "A contact I have there has expressed suspicion about the caves. Just go and poke around for a few hours. Gaara's visiting his sister nearby so I figured he could drop you guys off and then pick you up."

"Sounds fine. When do we head out-" Sasuke began, but was interrupted when the polished mahogany doors to Itachi's new office were thrown open.

"You guys ready?" Gaara appeared, looking a bit irritable. "I don't have all day, you know."

"Sorry Shukaku, was just explaining the mission. They're ready now." Itachi was now seated in his chair, papers piled high around him. Neji glowered.

"I guess we are ready then," he said icily, gesturing for Mai and Sakura to leave before him. "Ladies first," he added.

Sasuke briefly wondered why Gaara and Neji seemed in such foul moods, but dismissed it to follow the others to the hangar. A more pressing wonder was what these caves of Elith-well, whatever they were called-were like. Itachi hadn't seemed too worried about it, but that didn't mean he wasn't worried. More like he might be hiding something from the group.

There wasn't much chatter on the way to the caves. They were flying in Gaara's hovercraft, which was a tiny, more sporty transport with more windows. It was speedier than the usual transport, and Sasuke took the opportunity to observe the landscapes they flew over. They were traveling north east, he noted, near Kalaia. Was their potential target based in the north?

"Appointing Itachi was a terrible idea," Neji finally said. His arms were crossed and he still seemed to be in a foul mood. "This ruins everything."

"I thought you respected Itachi," Mai said, her deep voice once again inciting suspicion in Sasuke. There was something so…_off_ about her. Not to mention the lack of intonation in her voice, as though she felt no emotion.

"I do. However, the man is incapable of making a decision. He has proven in the past that he cannot make a large scale decision-one that involves the lives of hundreds of people-without screwing everything up. He goes along with the ideas of whomever he must answer to, but then changes his mind at the last moment. He is an excellent soldier-possibly the best-but the worst possible choice for a commander," Neji sneered.

Sasuke stared at him. Neji had no idea how spot-on that analysis of Itachi was. He nearly jumped out of his seat when he felt Sakura squeeze his hand discreetly. She shot him a reassuring glance, as though telling him to relax.

"I think we should talk about this later, when we do not have the possibility of being recorded," Sasuke interrupted them. He wanted to share his theory on Itachi's new position with Neji, but he had no idea what kind of recording devices they had in this world. Novia-or someone else-could be listening in on them at any moment.

They reached the caves soon after. As it turned out, the caves were in a large forest, hidden by hundreds of enormous waterfalls. Apparently these caves and caverns were often the headquarters of rebel organizations, though now they were so well scouted by military officials that many rebel forces deemed it too risky of a location for a base. However, maps hadn't been made of each and every set of tunnels, and there were still places that might remain undiscovered.

After Gaara dropped them off, the group breached the edge of the forest. The trees were mostly sky-scraping coniferous trees, and once they were a few yards from the edge, it was as dark as night.

"Fuck, I am not in the mood for this," Neji complained, pulling out his sword and hacking a path through the branches. It reminded Sasuke of earlier that morning in the little forest with Sakura, and he was grateful for the darkness of the forest as his cheeks reddened. Mai remained silent, following Neji closely.

"Cry me a river," Sasuke snapped. As they ventured further into the forest, the trees became closer together, and they were slowed down. Thorns rose up around them, tearing at their uniforms. Neji grumbled something about a waste of a good uniform, but Sasuke decided to block it out. He had heard worse from Suigetsu and Karin, he recalled. He could handle this too.

Where was hebi now? Admittedly, Sasuke had not thought of them lately. In a way, it was freedom. He had spent enough time with them to form bonds, but they were flimsy in comparison to his team seven bonds. He didn't ache for their presence in the same way that he had missed Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi. How often had he awoken in the night, wishing to turn to his own photograph of his teammates and sensei? There were different kinds of bonds. He didn't suffer because of his bonds with Suigetsu and the others; he had indeed suffered because of his ties to his family and team seven.

"Oh my god," Sakura's exclamation yanked Sasuke from his thoughts and he looked up. They had reached the edge of the woods and had come upon the waterfalls. They were enormous, coming down from a cliff at least eight feet high. White mist and spray cooled their faces, and the water splashed into a pond that ran off into the forest in various streams.

"Well, here we are. Plan of attack?" Neji asked, sheathing his sword and drawing out the water-proof map of the caverns. It wasn't very detailed, but as Gaara had pointed out, it was better than nothing.

"I say we stay together. Itachi isn't expecting us to find anything, but I'm not sure our comms will get a signal here." Sakura held up her communication device-she was right, the signal was low even here outside of the caverns. "We don't want to get separated and have someone get lost."

"I agree with Sakura. Come on, let's start with this cave," Mai said, already walking along the bank of the pond. The sound of rushing water blocked out most other noise, so they followed each other closely.

The waterfall spilled out just far enough from the mouth of the cave that there was an open space left. It was easy for them to slip inside without getting very wet. Sakura nearly slipped on the mossy rocks, but felt Mai reach out and steady her.

"Thanks," she mumbled, but Mai seemed to not have heard.

Inside the cave was dark and damp, as expected. Neji lit a flare, apparently finished complaining and ready to get to work.

"It looks like a giant circle. Let's just make a right and go around counter-clockwise. Stay alert and silent," he ordered, retrieving a gun from his holster.

They followed Neji through the caves. The light from the waterfall slowly dimmed, until the only light was that of the flare Neji carried.

_This is so creepy,_ Sakura thought, goosebumps rising on her skin. She fought back a shudder. Dark enclosed spaces were one of her phobias, and she wished that she hadn't been called on this mission. _But I have to ignore it and prove I can do it,_ she told herself. With Sasuke's presence, it felt like the genin days when she had been constantly trying to impress Sasuke. The difference was that back then, she had also had the desire for Sasuke to save her or help her out-now, she wanted to prove to him that she didn't need his help.

They walked in silence for what seemed to be hours without finding anything. Neji was looking at the map more and more often, seeming confused and worried. Sakura frowned. If Neji looked confused, they had to be lost. But how could they be lost? There hadn't been any other openings.

_Unless…someone purposefully blocked off another path?_ But there was no way to determine that. Even with the flare, there wasn't much light. And it wasn't like they could use explosives, because that might bring the entire cavern down on them.

"This isn't adding up," Neji said, coming to a stop. "My compass is telling me we're still going north, but we should have hit the bend in the path by now. And it doesn't seem like the pressure in here is ruining the compass, because then it would be spinning." He checked his compass again, but they were still facing north. "For the amount of time we've been walking, if we really are going north, then we must be here." On the map, the place he pointed to was well away from the path.

The group decided to backtrack to the approximate point of where they had split from the mapped out path. Luckily Neji had thought to bring a distance tracker, and they all lit flares, searching along the walls for some sign of a blockage.

"Found it," Sasuke's voice echoed through the cavern. He was crouching against a rock, running his hands over an oddly smooth surface. He had been absently running his fingers along the wall when he felt an indentation against his fingertips. They crowded around him, holding their flares up to the rock. "It's some kind of insignia. Looks new," he added, pointing to the spot. He didn't want to add that the symbol looked so familiar-where had he seen it before? It had four branches that stuck out at right angles. There was something dark, something evil about it.

There was an audible gasp from Neji, and they turned to see him backing away.

"I…am legally obligated to leave this place," he announced, turning to go, but Sakura reached out just in time to grab the collar of his shirt, stopping him.

"Hold on just one second," she ordered. All eyes were now on Neji suspiciously. "What is this symbol?" She too recognized it, but she couldn't place its origins.

Neji let out a sigh before holding his flare closer to his forehead. With his free hand, he brushed away his hair. The same symbol was branded onto his pale skin that was engraved upon the stone. Sakura gasped.

"I didn't realize it, but this must be Chun Wu jurisdiction," he explained, letting his hair flop back onto his forehead, covering the mark. Sakura couldn't believe she hadn't recognized the symbol or noticed it on Neji's forehead. He didn't even have bangs, it was just that the front locks of his long hair managed to cover the juin jutsu. It wasn't on the center of his forehead like that of the Neji that Sakura and Sasuke had grown up with; it was placed off to the side, above his right eye. "I really don't want to talk about it, but I can't stay here."

"If you know something about this symbol, then you will probably know something about what's beyond this wall." Sasuke stalked closer to Neji. "What does that symbol mean?" he demanded, but luckily Neji was saved by approaching footsteps.

"There you guys are," Gaara's voice bounced off the cavern walls. When he and his companions reached the light of their flares, they saw that Temari and Kankuro had joined them. Kankuro had some kind of strange costume on, and Temari was wearing a floor length lavender formfitting dress.

"Don't worry about my outfit," Temari grumbled as a greeting, gesturing to her clothing. "Stupid Gaara stealing me away from my job." she sounded affectionate despite her words, and the group wondered what Temari's job was that required her to wear such formal yet revealing clothing.

"You guys look so tense. What's up?" Kankuro stepped closer, studying their expressions. Sakura noted that Neji was perspiring, and she felt bad for him. Sasuke was indeed terrifying when asking questions so fiercely-scratch that, he was generally terrifying. At the moment he was staring coldly at Neji.

"Well, we just found a strange symbol on Hyuuga's forehead that matches this stone that is blocking our path, and Uchiha is doing a poor job of interrogating him," Mai explained brightly, as though completely oblivious to the thick tension in the cavern. The Shukaku siblings all raised their eyebrows, staring at Mai witheringly.

"Look," Neji resumed pleading, turning to Sasuke. He looked frantic. "If I stay here, and a Chun Wu official finds me, I'm dead. I signed a contract agreeing to it-there's no way out of it. I will be executed without opportunity to contest it."

Sakura marveled at how both here and in Konoha, Neji's life had been entirely in the hands of the main branch of Hyuuga.

"Why the _hell _would you sign something like that-" Temari began, but Sakura hastily cut her off.

"Never mind that. Let's just try to take a picture of this and show it to Itachi. There's no use trying to get past it," said Sakura, shooting Temari a warning glance to just agree with her.

Mai snapped a picture of the insignia and mapped the coordinates of it quickly, and the team began walking back to the entrance.

"You look attractive yet resemble a hooker. What is your outfit for?" Mai asked Temari, a pleasant smile on her face. Temari's face reddened and she clenched her fist around an elegant paper and wooden fan she had been carrying.

"I am a courtesan for the Elithraelaen court, thank you," she snarled. Mai nodded.

"Ah, so you are a hooker then. Interesting."

"Mai-it'd probably be for the best if you just shut up," Kankuro drawled. Sakura noted that there seemed to be a black mood hanging in the air between the siblings, and currently, Gaara was looking more like the Gaara she had known. The expression on his face looked like someone he loved had just died.

"I don't understand, but I will do that," the dark-haired woman replied, still oblivious to the tension. Rolling her eyes, Sakura walked faster, joining Sasuke to get away from the insufferable Mai.

"Do you guys hear anything?" Temari asked, looking around curiously. I could have sworn I heard footsteps just now."

Sakura saw Neji's back tense. They paused, silent, looking around and anticipating an unfamiliar presence. Sasuke wished that he had chakra in this world; he would have been able to detect the intruder and expose them easily. Without his chakra and sharingan, Sasuke felt helpless, useless, and weak.

But somehow, he could feel another's presence. A sixth sense, perhaps? The hairs on the back of his neck rose and he closed his eyes. _Pretend you do have chakra. Search the air for the aura…_

"That way," he and Sakura said at the same time, just as a shadow passed by.

Immediately, Mai fired a few shots in that direction.

"Who goes there? This is an official from the Gaulin Academy," she announced, fearlessly stepping closer. A few rocks crumbled, and finally, the shadow rose from behind a stalactite. It was the form of a slight, petite girl, clothed entirely in black.

"Is that you, Neji?" the girl said, her voice cool, catlike. Neji remained silent, his eyes wide. Perspiration slid down his temple. "You're not allowed to be here. My father is planning on conquering Elithrael, so these caves belong to us now," she continued.

"They do not belong to you yet, so I suggest you go busy yourself with something else," Neji snarled, stepping forward. The girl remained partially hidden. In the dim light of the flares, the only thing visible was her lips, forming a tight smile. "I'm here on a mission."

"Oh, believe me, I know. You're playing soldier with some silly Gaulin friends. I knew the moment you left the academy."

Sakura watched as Neji's hand moved nearly imperceptibly to his holster. To his credit, none of his fear was showing if he felt any. "Why did you leave, Neji?" the girl added, cocking her head to the side. "Father wants to bring you back, but he doesn't understand why you left." she stepped closer, everyone watching in shock. "W-w-was i-i-i-t bec-c-cause of y-y-your f-f-feelings-"

Neji interrupted the girl's painful imitation of a stutter to shoot at her. The gunshot filled the cavern, but the girl had sidestepped just in time. Before anyone realized what was happening, she had pulled out her own gun, shooting him in the leg.

_Oh my god,_ Sakura realized with utter awe, _it's the girl from the port in Camillei that stabbed me._ Remembering Ino's move, Sakura whipped out her own gun, easily shooting the girl's gun out of her hands. Something dark covered the girl's fingers. She must have shot off one of her fingers. The girl let out a cry of pain and began running. Immediately, Sakura began sprinting after her.

"I remember you," she hissed. The girl looked back, her long hair flicking, but Sakura's flare went out and she felt her leg slam into rock, tripping her. Everyone had followed, but the girl's footsteps faded.

"Dammit," Sakura swore. She had hit her chin on the rock and could feel blood dribbling down it.

"That was probably the dumbest thing you've ever done." Sasuke's voice came from above and she felt him pulling her to her feet. "Who knew if more of her friends were waiting in the dark?" he yelled out. Sakura flinched, but when she tried to turn away she felt Sasuke grasping her jaw, turning her face to look back at him.

"What. the. FUCK. was that all about?" Temari hissed. Gaara and Mai were helping him walk, and Sakura saw blood spilling down the Hyuuga's leg. "Great, and now you need stitches, pinky," she added irritably. Sakura ignored her, turning to Neji.

"That was Hanabi," she said breathlessly. Neji looked up at her, his opal eyes unable to focus. His head lolled to the side.

"Yes. It was." The mark on his forehead was now clearly visible.

"We need to get out of here now. Neji needs a blood transfusion and the bullet to be removed, and then we need to talk. Come on," Sakura ordered. As they began walking, she realized that her knees had been bloodied up too, and she was having a hard time walking. She tried not to grunt in pain-after all, Neji had a bullet in his leg and he was being perfectly silent-but she was already beginning to feel dizzy from the loss of blood.

Sasuke watched Sakura carefully as they walked. She was no longer walking in a straight line, and even in the low light, he could tell she had gotten paler. _Dammit Itachi. You must have known something. Why didn't you tell us?_ he felt a surge of rage towards Itachi every time he looked back at Sakura.

"You should carry her," Kankuro murmured in his ear. "She does not look well." His advice was inaudible to everyone else, as Temari was still unsuccessfully trying to draw information from Neji, who was quickly losing consciousness. Sasuke turned just in time to see Sakura begin to fall, and he caught her by the middle. Mai caught her shoulder at exactly the same time.

"Great. Now she's unconscious. I thought you said there wasn't any danger here?" Temari whirled on her brother. Gaara massaged his temples with his free hand, looked more than stressed out.

They quarreled as Sasuke pulled unconscious Sakura roughly away from Mai. He attempted to hoist Sakura onto his back, but it was too difficult, and he ended up having to carry her bridal-style. He looked down grimly at her. She was losing a surprising amount of blood. _Why did you have to chase after her? It could have turned out even worse than this._ Seeing Sakura unconscious was doing strange things to him. He felt constricted around his chest, and his heart was pounding.

When they finally reached the opening, they passed through the waterfall, just as Gaara swore.

"My hovercraft is gone."

They still were not getting any signal, and now it was dark. Taking shelter near the pond, they set Neji and Sakura against rocks. Luckily, they had all brought packs that included tent kits and camping equipment. At the time, Sasuke had been annoyed at Sakura for insisting they be so thoroughly prepared, but now he couldn't be more grateful. Temari boiled water and made some food, and Mai wandered the woods, trying to find a signal for their comms. Gaara and Kankuro set up the tents while Sasuke watched over Sakura and Neji.

There was no denying it: he was panicking. It had been hours and Sakura had yet to wake up, though he checked her pulse every ten seconds. Neji moved in and out of consciousness, once in a while groaning in pain. They had stopped the bleeding in his leg, but they knew he wouldn't last much longer this way. They were too far from civilization to risk trying to hike over the mountains, and they still had no idea who had stolen Gaara's hovercraft. The only plausible answer they had come up with was that Hanabi had stolen it, and there was always the chance she would return.

"Mai's going to watch for the night. I'll watch Neji-you should get some rest and try to get Sakura to wake up," Temari announced, walking over to his post by the rocks.

"She hasn't reached the academy yet," he confirmed. Temari rolled her eyes.

"Duh, idiot. Jeez, they look really bad," she sighed, gesturing to Neji and Sakura. Neji opened his eyes slightly.

"I need…a doctor…soon," he rasped, clutching his leg. His pain was so evident and unmasked on his face that even Temari paled at the sight.

"It'll be fine," she said, kneeling next to him, but it wasn't reassuring.

Sasuke picked up Sakura's lifeless form and took her to what had been designated their tent. It was cramped, and they could only lie squished together. Sasuke remained sitting, unable to sleep.

What if Sakura died here? What would happen then?

Just thinking about it made him begin to sweat, his heart racing and his mind a tangled mess. He shook her roughly, and she let out a groan.

"Sakura! Wake up." he sounded harsh and angry even to his own ears. Sakura's eyelids raised slightly.

Sasuke came into focus above her, his dark eyes wide with panic. She blinked, everything still hazy. The world was spinning too fast. There were suddenly three Sasukes above her, and then there was only one again. He frowned, shaking her again.

"I…am awake…" she mumbled. She heard Sasuke exhale. "How long….?"

"Hours. Neji comes in and out. The transport was stolen, and we can't reach the academy," he said darkly. "Mai is keeping watch. We're hoping Itachi will get worried and send someone soon." Sasuke was trembling noticeably, his hair plastered to his forehead with sweat.

"You were scared for me," she said, feeling a bit more awake now. Sasuke's gaze snapped away from her.

"Why the hell would you do such a dumb thing? You're supposed to be smart. That was the least strategic move you could have possibly made," he spat, glancing back at her, rage in his eyes.

"You were _really_ scared for me," she corrected, feeling anticipation build up inside her. She was so woozy that she felt brave enough to say these things. Sasuke glowered, but didn't have a response. "That was the same girl that stabbed me on that mission to Camillei that I took. I'm positive it is."

"It was Hanabi?" Sasuke lowered his voice.

"I just wonder what she was going to say about his feelings before he shot at her." Sakura scrunched her eyes shut, trying to make the world stop spinning. She felt Sasuke lie down; his shoulder was pressed against hers. _That feels nice. Really nice._

"She was imitating Hinata. If they catch him, he's going to be in big trouble for shooting at her," Sasuke replied. He still sounded furious. _Could she have meant that Neji had feelings for Hinata? _

But that seemed ludicrous. Neji and Hinata, at least as far as she knew, were cousins. Sakura let out a sigh, feeling too tired to think more about it. She turned her head to look at Sasuke, their eyes meeting.

"Right now…your eyes look like the sky," she murmured. Sasuke's expression was impassive.

"The sky is blue, idiot."

"The night sky. So much depth. How many constellations are in your mind?"

"…You're just full of idiocy today, Sakura," Sasuke grumbled, looking away. Sakura let out a dazed laugh.

"You have always looked like a work of art to me," she continued.

"How many paint strokes are in my stomach?" was Sasuke's sarcastic retort.

"My dream was about you." She couldn't believe she had just confessed that, but she felt lightheaded. Even though their situation was markedly disastrous, she felt uncontainably happy. She was lying in a tent, just with Sasuke, their shoulders pressed together. Had she ever really wanted anything other than this?

"The nightmare?"

"It wasn't a nightmare."

They remained silent. Beyond their tent, they could hear Neji grunting in pain as Temari re-bandaged him. The rushing of the waterfall was soothing. The world was still spinning to her, but she still found herself pushing herself up. Sasuke began to rise too.

"What are you doing? Lie down-" he began, but Sakura pressed her finger to his lips. His eyes widened, but he remained silent. They stayed that way, frozen in time. Sakura finally trailed her finger down from Sasuke's lips to trace the smooth lines of his chin and jaw. With the sliver of moonlight coming in from the flaps of the tent, he was lit up, bathed in silver. "Sakura. Don't…" but he couldn't bring himself to finish. her hand moved to his shoulder, tracing his clavicle by moving the collar of his uniform away. She saw his adam's apple move as he swallowed, his eyes still fixated on her.

"You are still a scared little boy," she murmured. She felt dizzy again, drunk on blood loss. She could feel Sasuke breathing, and she moved closer. He backed away, until he was lying down and she was crouched over him. "Were you sad to leave us?"

"…What is with you? Get off of me," he whispered. In his eyes she could see fear. Why was he afraid? What was he afraid of? It was like she was seeing the darkest depths of his soul when she looked into his eyes now.

She turned away, slumping back onto her own blanket. She felt ashamed suddenly. Her eyes burned and she wondered why she wanted to cry. She could feel him looking at her, and she didn't want to see what expression he might be regarding her with. Disgust? Hatred? Fear? Disdain?

"I always chase after you. And every time I think I've caught you, you slide out of reach again. Like water," she mumbled into the blanket. She heard Sasuke draw in a sharp breath. "It was nice, this morning. Being the one being chased for once. But then I gave up to you so easily."

"You're not feeling well. Don't use that as an excuse to say things you don't mean," he warned, though there was a tremor in his voice and she wondered if she had gotten through to him. Still she feared what she might find if she looked into those eyes.

"I mean it all."

Sasuke stared at Sakura's slim back. She was always such a genuine person. He had betrayed her-didn't she understand that? He had betrayed them all. Yet she was telling him she wanted him to chase her. Her genuine feelings, her truthfulness, her honesty…they had once disgusted him, now they scared him. She didn't know what it was like to lose everything. That was why she was able to be so forthcoming with her feelings. "I just realized! Mai reminds me of Sai," she said suddenly.

"Sai?"

"…you've met him before."

And suddenly it clicked. "I wonder if this is his twin sister or something."

There was a tone in her voice that raised Sasuke's suspicion. He wanted to ask her things; he supposed now, while she was so out of it, was the best time to be frank with her.

"What was he to you?"

"He held my umbrella for me once, and called me ugly. All the time. I didn't realize I missed it. I guess I'm a glutton for rude guys. And it's strange, but Naruto is the only one who ever treated me properly, and yet I have no interest in him."

This new piece of information was both consoling and damning. That meant she had interest in Sai. "You like Sai though?"

"…I don't know. I hadn't thought of it before," she replied. "He was a calming presence. He made me so angry sometimes. I would lose my temper at him. I used to have so much pent up anger because you had left. It built up…and he began to let it out of me. He would tease me to the point where I would break, and then I'd yell at him, hit him, threaten him…and he'd just smile and attempt a joke he had recently read."

"You're not making any sense."

"I know. I don't even make sense in my own mind."

They were silent for a while. It sounded like Neji had failed out of consciousness again. Sasuke saw a shadow move, and he froze, but calmed when he realized it was only Mai. She had been sitting close to their tent…had she heard? If she did have a twin brother named Sai, it might turn out to be an awkward situation.

"I'm going to check in with Mai. I'll be right back," Sasuke announced, crawling out of their tent.

Mai was seated a few feet away, drawing. From behind, she really did look like a man.

"Good evening, Uchiha," she greeted without turning away. "How is Sakura faring?"

"She woke up. Any word? Any signal?" he came to stand behind Mai. Surprisingly, the artwork was well-done; she was truly an artist.

"None."

Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets. How could he tactfully ask her-"I heard everything. I don't have a twin brother named Sai. I don't even have a brother," she said, still not looking up from her artwork. "Well, I did once." She paused to look up at him finally, smiling. "He had a rather large penis-"

"I'm going to bed," Sasuke interrupted, turning away and stalking back to their tent. No need to tell Sakura about that disturbing encounter. Why the _hell_ had Mai known the size of her brother… he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. This was the second instance of possible incest he had encountered today, and he was not pleased about it.

When he crawled back into the tent, Sakura was asleep, not unconscious. She was snoring slightly, curled up on her side, her hair over her face. Sasuke felt all kinds of uncomfortable feelings well up inside of him; he longed to find a way of burning them all out of his mind. Why did he feel so restless, so confused, from what Sakura had said? Why was he angry that what was obviously his replacement-this Sai-had meant something to her that she was only just realizing? The fact that she had been thinking about it lately meant she was not thinking of him, and this seemed unacceptable.

Why had she caressed him like that? What had her dream involved?

He lay down next to her, facing the same direction as her. He felt weak-he just wanted consolation. He wanted the days of team seven. He wanted to be trying to steal the bells from Kakashi. He wanted to be dismissively insulting Naruto, and secretly enjoying whenever Sakura would act affectionately towards him. He had always yearned for those days as soon as they had left. It was possibly worse than missing his family, because he had voluntarily left team seven behind. He had abandoned them. His misery was, as usual, mainly his own doing.

"You were annoying back then," he began, resting his hand on her waist, where it curved inward in such a way that made his heart pound. "But I liked it."

She didn't respond-she was probably asleep. Sasuke pulled himself in closer, until her back was pressed against his chest and stomach. He rested his chin in her hair. It was a weird notion, but he liked her scent-not the scent of her soap or anything. Her natural scent.

"I would give anything to go back to those days, Sakura. Anything."


	11. 10: Intimacy

Isekai

Author's Note: Yay, Jealous!Sasuke in this chapter! Thanks for all the lovely reviews! I tried to PM everybody to answer their questions; but I may have forgotten some people. I'm a little nervous about this chapter, so please let me know if I did a good job with it!

Chapter 10: Intimacy

Sakura woke in the night to feel warm arms around her. Adjusting to the darkness slowly, she looked down to see Sasuke's lean forearm slung over her side. She could feel his chin resting on her head, and his even heartbeat and breathing. He seemed to be deep asleep. But why were his arms encircling her?

_Maybe he just didn't have enough room to spread out,_ she told herself, feeling her heart race. _Don't you dare get your hopes up…_ She turned slightly, out of his embrace, and sat up, watching his arm slide down to rest on his stomach. Asleep, he looked babyfaced, and she felt love surge through her veins. The night was so quiet; only the sounds of the waterfall and Sasuke's breathing met her ears.

She could remember the first mission where they had had to set up camp and sleep in the same space. She remembered how hopeful she had been, and yet, struck by how….guyish, or something, Sasuke seemed. She had been more aware than ever of the fact that he was male. It seemed a strange thing to think. Of course she knew Sasuke was a guy. Yet, being so near him as he lay sleeping, being able to freely observe him…She had been filled with the urge to kiss him, to touch him, to feel the contrast between them. Even more so now, now that they were so much older. She longed to feel how the hard planes of his body felt against her (modest) curves. To feel the beginnings of his stubble against her cheek, to feel how they would fit together, like puzzle pieces.

The differences between them physically were so great, and yet, it made him all the more appealing. He was straight lines, angles, darkness, and she was curves and soft lines and bright colors.

_I'm thinking such strange things. _ Heat flared within her once again, just as it had in her dream, and she sank down back against his lean side. Carefully as she could, she returned his arm to her side, and settled closer to him. He sighed in his sleep, his arm tightening around her. Had he woken up? Did he realize he was holding _her_ tightly, or was it just an automatic response? She couldn't take it anymore; she just wanted something to _happen_.

It took hours for the anticipation to die down enough for her to fall back to sleep again.

* * *

There was a piercing scream that woke both Sasuke and Sakura with a start. Sasuke retracted his arms from Sakura as quickly as he could, but the damage had already been done: Sakura had woken in time to realize he had been holding her.

"Freak! You better have some good reason for this nonsense! Gaara, this is ALL YOUR FAULT." Temari's shrieks echoed around the campsite. From the pale light, Sasuke gaged that it was dawn. He rubbed his eyes blearily, sitting up.

"Whas going on," Sakura grumbled, blinking and sitting up slightly. Her hair stuck out in all directions. Sasuke felt a pang in his heart; secretly, he had always found Sakura when she woke up to be extremely cute, even when they had been genin. To hide his blush, he crawled out of the tent, running a hand through his hair in a poor attempt to tame his bedhead hair.

Temari was clutching her dress and blanket to her otherwise naked form, pointing an enraged finger at Mai. Mai was wearing her uniform shirt undone, exposing well-defined abdominal muscles and hard pectorals.

Mai was not a girl. Mai was very much a man.

"It is way too early for this," Sasuke muttered, bringing his hands to his face.

"There is a man standing where I expected there to be a woman. _What_ is the meaning of this?" With a sigh, Sasuke prepared to explain the concept of transgender to Temari.

"Temari, sometimes men have hobbies. Sometimes, men like to pretend they are women," Sasuke replied flatly, remembering Orochimaru. "I am really not in the mood to have this discussion with you," he added, rubbing his face as though to expel the images of his former Master. Temari scowled.

"I _know_ that. Believe me. However, it is not fair to force me to bathe in the vicinity of a _man, _regardless of his _hobbies._"

Mai smiled at Temari.

"Actually, it's not a hobby of mine. I'm just doing it for a mission," he said brightly. "My real name is Sai, so from now on you can just call me that, since my cover's blown anyway."

Temari's jaw hung open.

"So, if it's for a mission, why did you have to pretend to be a girl?"

Sai considered this for a moment, and Sasuke noted that Temari was having a hard time taking her eyes off of Sai's defined torso. Was this what the Konohan Sai looked like? If so… Sasuke felt a spike of malice towards Sai. He was definitely what the typical female might consider attractive. Even Temari was affected by his appearance.

"I'm not very good at pretending. I thought if I was a girl, I would be less likely to be recognized," he said finally. "Don't mind me. I'm just on a mission. I mean no harm."

Sakura poked her head out of the tent now, and her jaw too dropped at the sight of Sai. She bit her lip to keep from crying out in recognition.

"I heard everything," she explained, coming out on wobbly legs, for she was still weak because of all the blood loss. Sasuke noted the expression Sai had on his face as he stared at Sakura. It seemed plain, and yet…there was an undertone of protectiveness, of watchfulness. Had the Sai here had a fling with the Sakura here? "What is your mission?"

"I can't tell you." Sai looked cheerful and not bothered by this sudden confrontation. "I will let you return to your bathing, Temari. Don't forget to wash yourself carefully; I could smell you very easily yesterday," he said with the same pleasant demeanor before turning to leave. Temari's face was molten red and her fists were clenched at her sides, but she said nothing, apparently too enraged and embarrassed.

"We should let you sleep," Sakura said, her cheeks pink. Sasuke followed her gaze to Sai's abs.

"Yes, and you should rest, Sakura," Sasuke snapped, snatching her hand and dragging her back to their tent. Sakura cried out in surprise, but Sasuke ignored her.

"I-i can't believe that was Sai," she murmured once they were back in the safety of the tent. Her cheeks were still rosy. Sasuke glared, absently shutting the flaps to the tent tighter. "I wonder what his mission is…"

"I don't care." Sasuke began fiddling with his comm. "We need to focus on getting back. Neji won't last much longer without a transfusion and surgery. Don't think of Sai so selfishly at a time like this," he reprimanded. He regretted it when he saw Sakura's face, but he was still too defensive to take anything back.

"Why are you acting like this?" she had recovered from the sting of his words and was angry now. He flinched. He could deal with happy Sakura, he could deal with crying Sakura, he could even deal with annoying Sakura. But angry Sakura? "Who lit the fuse on your tampon?" she hissed, and if Sasuke hadn't been so terrified of Sakura at the moment, he would have laughed at her words.

"The academy's coming!" Temari called, poking her head into their tent. She was just wearing a slip and her skin was red from what must have been an intense scrubbing session. "We just made contact with them!"

There was no time to continue the argument. Gleefully, the team began packing up their campsite, leaving Neji resting against a rock, wrapped in many blankets. Unconscious and pale as death, he occasionally let out a moan of pain. Sweat plastered his hair to his forehead, even though he was shivering. Sakura gazed at him, worry filling her. At this point, she wasn't sure he'd be able to keep his leg.

Finally, Kiba, Kakashi, Tenten, and Rin arrived, with Shizune and a few assistants on board. It was annoying to Sasuke that Itachi hadn't come himself, considering it was really his fault that they were in this mess.

"Oh my god," Tenten gasped when she saw Neji. Everyone was shocked at both Neji's wounds as well as the fact that Mai was now Sai. They boarded the transport, but Neji's condition seemed to prevent anyone from speaking candidly. Shizune immediately began examining him, but the look on her face did not bode well.

"We can't perform surgery here, obviously. He needs to be in a bigger hospital that the infirmary," she announced, perspiration on her brow. "…I believe the main problem with that bullet is that it was coated with poison."

* * *

Sakura received a blood transfusion and some stitches in her chin. The entire academy was in a state because Neji had been taken to the Fleurian hospital.

"You should come with me, Sakura, since you're interested in medicine," Shizune said as she stitched up Sakura's knees as well. Sakura flinched, gripping the metal sides of the bed to steady herself against the needle. "You'll get a chance to meet Fleuria's top surgeon. You must have heard of her…Tsunade?"

"Yes, of course. When would we be leaving?"

"As soon as I'm done this. I wanted to make sure your cuts weren't infected before I left. He's in good hands at Fleuria."

Sakura considered sending Sasuke a text on her comm to say she was leaving for Fleuria for the rest of the day, but decided against it, anger flooding her vision. What had been up with Sasuke's behavior?

"You look troubled," Shizune commented, finally finishing her stitching. Sakura scowled.

"Sasuke is such….an _asshole,_" she snarled. Shizune paused before laughing.

"And... then came the dawn. Did you really just realize this?" she said sarcastically, washing her hands. Sakura got out of the bed, her legs still shaky.

"No," she replied fiercely. "I just can't believe….ugh!" she let out an enraged squeal. Shizune seemed amused by Sakura's behavior, but said nothing more of it.

"Come on, let's go. We have to go see Hyuuga, and then you have to report to Itachi what the hell happened."

* * *

Sasuke gave another round kick at the punching bag, grimacing and letting out a grunt with each movement. Soon, however, that wasn't enough, and he began wildly punching and kicking at the bag.

"…You are so tightly wound, Uchiha." Sai was walking through the training center, his damned abs still on display. He wasn't wearing a shirt today, merely low-hanging black pants that caught the notice of the entire female student body. Word had gotten out within a few hours of Sai's true gender, and now it seemed the man wasn't alone for more than a second. Girls flocked to him, wanting to ask him questions and joke with him. of course, Sai seemed to take no notice, dismissing them with a rude remark delivered in a pleasant, cheery tone. "Your sex life would probably be better if you weren't so stressed all the time. Or is that what is stressing you? I've read a lot on this subject," Sai continued, clapping a hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"Nothing of that sort is the problem," the Uchiha snarled in response before giving the punching bag another dangerously hard kick, meant to be a warning to Sai.

"Oh. Hm. You've always seemed so tense. Maybe you should try a relaxing technique!"

"Always seemed so tense? You don't know me."

Sai smiled again.

"You're right, I don't know you. But you know who I do know intimately well?" his smiled disappeared momentarily, and he leaned in closer. "Sakura."

"….Get out," Sasuke ordered, but Sai was already strolling away, wishing Sasuke a good day. He disappeared into another part of the training center, leaving Sasuke alone.

"_Intimately well?"_ Sasuke shouted, aiming a kick at the punching bag. He jumped up into the air, spinning around. He imagined the punching bag was Sai's smiling face, that irritating face.

He drove his heel so hard into the punching bag that it was knocked off its chain, flying a few feet away and nearly hitting some cadets who had just entered the area. They stared at him with wide eyes.

"…Instructor…" said one of them. Sasuke shot them a glare.

"What? Go away."

They scurried off, and Sasuke exhaled hotly, running a hand through his hair.

What was _wrong_ with him?

He stalked to the cafeteria. He knew he should have checked on Sakura, but somehow, he was still unable to see her. He wasn't sure who was supposed to be in the wrong in this situation, but he decided he would rather not deal with it. The cafeteria was empty save for Kakashi sitting alone and reading. _Thank god it isn't a dirty book,_ Sasuke thought, letting out a sigh of relief. He accepted a tray of food and considered sitting by himself, but Kakashi had already waved him over.

"I heard Sakura went with Shizune to Fleuria," Kakashi began the conversation, briefly taking his eyes off the page. Sasuke tried to mask his surprise and subsequent rage.

"Ah, yes," he choked out, shoving some sort of bread-like item in his mouth. Kakashi's gaze settled on him, seeming to comprehend the situation.

"…She didn't tell you then."

"Oh, ah, yes, she did. I just…forgot," he said quickly, trying to feign nonchalance. Kakashi raised his eyebrow before setting the book down and leaning forward.

"You know, you are very immature when it comes to Sakura. You always have been. It was fine before, but now you're too old to be acting like such a brat."

Sasuke's jaw dropped.

"…What are you _talking_ about?"

"Every time another man approaches her, you lose your temper. Sebastien was poorly behaved, but you weren't even dating her when you punched Shikamaru. _Shikamaru_ was dating her. And when you thought Neji was getting too cosy, you started bullying him. And now Sai? What is this, Sasuke?"

Surprisingly, Kakashi sounded sympathetic. He was not yelling at Sasuke, it seemed. "Why don't you trust Sakura?"

"You don't know what you're talking about," he retorted, but Kakashi seemed unbothered by Sasuke's tone.

"Yes, I do. You don't trust her. You don't trust anyone, but you _really_ don't trust her. Once upon a time, you didn't hesitate to tell her that she'd be lucky if she found a dog that loved her…Now you lose your cool any time another man happens to be within a mile of her. Did something happen?"

Sasuke was surprised by Kakashi's sudden line of questioning, but he felt his temper flaring.

"Why is it that I'm always the one in the wrong? Why can't anyone see that sometimes, Sakura is in the wrong too? It's always 'Evil Sasuke' and 'Poor Sakura.' Sometimes, the lines aren't so clear!" Sasuke took in a deep breath, embarrassed by his outburst.

"You are the most insecure man I have ever met. And that is saying something, because I think most men are insecure." Kakashi had a small smile on his face. "No one's thinking you're evil. And with all the jealous fangirls you've had over the years, I doubt anyone is pitying Sakura. I wonder what that must be like, to be married to the man everyone else wanted to marry. She probably got bullied before…"

"Well, it's hard being married to Sakura!" Sasuke exploded. "She sneaks her way into your life because she's so….genuine. You believe everything she says, and you think, wow, here is someone who can see past what I look like, and see my _real_ faults. And can see them, and maybe accept them but try to help me grow. And then, you see her doing that same little thing, that oh-I'm-just-so-cute-and-innocent act, with someone else. And you wonder, is she really so genuine? Was she really my biggest fan? Was I really the most important person to her, or was she just lying?"

Feeling humiliated at having yelled so loudly, so emotionally, Sasuke pulled back, avoiding Kakashi's eyes with care.

"…You really are insecure," he marveled.

"Stop saying that!"

"You're also really tense." Kakashi stood up, taking his book with him and strolling out of the cafeteria.

Sasuke seethed, clutching his fork in one hand and his knife in the other so tightly his knuckles bleached.

"I. AM _NOT. TENSE."_

* * *

Neji had come out of his coma after the antidote had been administered, and the bullet had been removed though he'd be limping for a while. After Tsunade had been introduced to Sakura (drunk, of course, though Sakura wasn't sure why she was surprised), Shizune had allowed her to visit with Neji. Sakura took a deep breath before entering the hospital room. Neji was heavily bandaged and looked cranky, though brightened somewhat at seeing Sakura. She shut the door gently, taking the seat next to Neji's hospital bed.

"I'm glad you're here," he said, rubbing his head, and Sakura was struck by the intimacy of his words. Her cheeks flushed and she looked down, letting her hair fall in front of her face.

"N-no big deal." She felt embarrassed, but she quickly recovered when she remembered the many questions that had been plaguing her mind. "Neji, I won't tell anyone anything you don't want me to, and I'm not forcing you to say anything," she began hastily, but halted at the look on Neji's face. He looked out the windows, his gaze far away. His mouth was set into a grim line.

"I will tell you. I was in love with her." he drew in a breath. "I was raised to be her bodyguard; I had the ideal Hyuuga blood and showed promise."

"Hinata?"

"Obviously."

He paused, seemingly collecting his thoughts. "In Chun Wu, marriage between cousins is not taboo; in fact it is encouraged. But I was raised as a servant. A high class one, but a servant nonetheless.

"I couldn't take being so close to Hinata. I spent every day, all day, with her. By the time I was fourteen, I was losing control. Her father enrolled me at the academy, as you know, and the idea of not having to spend the rest of my life watching Hinata from afar was appealing. Appealing enough…to defect from the Hyuuga family. To defect is a dangerous prospect, but I didn't fully understand then. It wasn't until a few years after that I happened to be on a mission in Chun Wu. I hadn't told anyone that I had defected, and had made it seem like I was merely…training extensively, I suppose. I made the mistake of running into Hinata's younger sister…it was then that I received this."

He pushed aside his hair, revealing the hideous mark once again. Involuntarily Sakura shivered. "At least Hiashi had the decency to place it where my hair would fall. He was only so kind because he thought I was defecting to be a soldier. He didn't know the real reason. I hadn't told anyone, but Hinata is no fool. Neither is Hanabi, clearly."

"Did it hurt to get that mark?" Neji frowned.

"It did. The way they do it is so that you can never forget the mistake you have made. It's a preview, for in case you choose to set foot on Chun Wu land again. They do not merely execute you then. They torture you to death."

"How did they make the mark?"

"They branded me and then tattooed before it had healed," Neji said shortly. It did have a raised quality that seemed unlike a tattoo. Now that she knew why it was raised, she felt disgusted to even look at it. "Now you see why I am careful about not getting any further on their bad side."

"Do you think Hinata had feelings for you?" Sakura met Neji's eyes but he broke the gaze, looking out the window again.

"No. And any chance that she might have felt anything was ruined when she met Uzumaki," he muttered bitterly, a sour look on his face. She knew he was feeling so much hatred right now, and her heart went out to him.

"It's so hard. You keep wanting every little thing to mean something, you keep looking for extra meaning in their words. Every time they look at you, you think it feels _different, _or special. You daydream all the time, envisioning every little scenario of the different ways you might get together with them…" Sakura said, looking down.

"You even imagine all the ways it might go wrong. Not even to try to convince yourself to stop thinking about them, but because it gives you another reason to dwell on them," Neji added. Sakura couldn't hold back her laugh: she had done exactly that with Sasuke. How much time had she wasted dreaming of Sasuke?

"Yeah, I've done that too," she said with a grin. Neji smiled at her, and because it was such a rare event, it was meaningful. But quickly it disappeared and was replaced by his usual expression of suffering, as though just existing in such a pathetic world was painfully boring. _I am beginning to understand Neji better…I wonder if the Neji I know had feelings for Hinata._ She thought back to Neji's actions and frowned. _…Probably not._

"We have to report to Itachi about this," Neji sighed. "It just involves opening a can of worms that I wasn't ready to open just yet."

Neji had to stay at the hospital another night, but Shizune and Sakura were escorted back to the transport, waiting in the hub of the hospital. Fleuria was incredible; everything seemed to be made of glass and steel. Prisms danced everywhere. It was a highly technologically advanced place, with hovercrafts buzzing everywhere. The sight of it took her breath away.

"What are you staring at? It's like you've never been here," Shizune interrupted Sakura's thoughts, and pulled her into their transport. "Tsunade said Neji got really messed up from that poison-the only reason he survived is because you guys did such a good job of caring for him," Shizune explained as they buckled themselves in. "What happened?"

"We ran into what we believe is a Hyuuga family member," Sakura explained. Shizune's jaw dropped.

"And he defected, so he really shouldn't be anywhere near a Hyuuga," she clarified. Her face fell. "Damn."

"I know. It was ugly." Sakura rubbed her face with her hands, wincing when she hit the bandages on her chin. Dread filled her when she thought of the prospect of returning to Sasuke, but part of her was curious. What exactly had passed between them the night before? And to have woken up with his arms around her, only to have him insult her and scold her….Sasuke had always run hot and cold, but sometimes it seemed that his icy demeanor was blocking an internal fire.

"Still mad at Uchiha?" Shizune sounded sympathetic. Sakura glowered into space

"Yeah. And a little confused about Mai being Sai."

"Itachi knew something about it, apparently. He warned me that if I had to medically examine 'Mai' I might find something surprising, when Mai first was hired."

"He said he was here on a mission to 'protect' something…I just can't help but wonder what that something is."

Sakura drifted off into her own pondering until they returned to the academy. Sasuke was nowhere to be found, which was both a disappointment and a relief. Sakura wandered to the training center, looking for something to do, and ran into Sai. He was shirtless, training by practicing his kicks on a punching bag. Sakura flushed, preparing to back out of the room, but Sai paused in his training, turning to her with a smile.

"Sakura. I'm impressed you're up and running already," he greeted, walking away from the punching bag. He had barely broken a sweat. "How is Hyuuga doing?"

"He'll be discharged tomorrow morning. He got the antidote in time and the bullet was removed."

An awkward silence passed between them. Sakura looked away, attempting to avoid looking at Sai. Why was his mere presence making her so nervous?

"Is my torso making you uncomfortable, Sakura? You are very red," Sai commented, cocking his head to the side to meet her eyes.

"N-not at all!" she protested, waving her arms wildly before turning on her heel and leaving hastily.

* * *

Having decided to let out his anger by yelling at Itachi, Sasuke marched up to Itachi's new office. It was on the top floor of the academy, and was a sort of crow's nest, as it was the only thing on that floor. The Itachi that Sasuke had known, however briefly, had been a messy and disorganized person. This Itachi was no different. When Sasuke barged into the office, empty food cartons and scrap paper-or perhaps important papers-littered the plush blood red carpeting. Itachi was hidden behind towers of paperwork and folders that sat on his desk, teetering like they might fall. Along the walls were different weapons and pictures that Itachi was intending to hang.

"Itachi?"

He was greeted with a snore. Sasuke scowled. Was Itachi seriously _napping?_ He stomped over to the desk, peering over the paperwork. Itachi was indeed asleep, but it looked like he had fallen asleep in the middle of something. The pen he was loosely holding had slashed a black line across the page, and his cheek was pressed against what he had probably been signing. Sasuke's anger melted away at the sight. He could remember Itachi falling asleep in the middle of training when he was young, because he had joined ANBU but was still training and sometimes tutoring at the academy. Sasuke didn't realize that he was smiling as he went around the desk, took the pen out of Itachi's hand, and moved the paper away. The ink had smeared on the page and left a mark on Itachi's cheek. Searching around, Sasuke found a pillow shoved into a drawer in the polished mahogany desk, and lifted Itachi's head to slip the pillow underneath it. He began picking up the empty food containers and other things that he was positive were disposable, and threw them in the trash. He placed the papers on the desk, but then decided to put the stacks on the floor next to the desk to clear the desk off. He hung the weapons and pictures on the wall-Itachi could rearrange them later if he really wanted to-and wiped the different surfaces with a wet cloth. He cracked open a few windows to let out the stale stench in the room, letting in the salty sea breeze.

The room looked much nicer, although it wasn't perfect yet. Sasuke looked at the weapons and photos. One photo caught his eye: it was a picture of his family. He was young here; possibly five or six. He was seated on Itachi's shoulders, pulling on his brother's hair. _I used to do that to the Itachi I grew up with._ He was always on Itachi's shoulders, earning him adoring fans aplenty. Who couldn't love a boy who treated his annoying little brother so kindly? In the photo, his mother and father stood on either side of Itachi. Already, Itachi was as tall as Mikoto. She was wearing an elegant navy dress, setting off her ivory skin and dark eyes. Fugaku was still in uniform at this point. Something clenched inside Sasuke, and suddenly he had to turn away. He could not bear to stare at such a happy photo any longer.

He didn't want to be near Itachi at this moment. Abruptly he left, closing the door behind him and racing back to his apartment. When he got there, he found it too claustrophobic, and soon he was on the docks behind the academy, staring out at the sea. His heart was pounding against his ribcage and he couldn't breathe. He didn't know why.

He tried to catch his breath, but it became increasingly difficult to breathe. He had had this feeling before many times, although never this intense. He felt the urge to get _out. _But out of what? He wanted to run away, to disappear, to sleep dreamlessly forever.

_Some day I will lose my family again. Either I will return to Konoha, or they'll die here._

Everything became too much. Kakashi's criticism, Sakura's lack of undying devotion to him, Itachi's new position, and his happy family. It all bombarded his mind. It was exhausting.

He stepped to the edge of the dock. He wanted to erase it all. He wanted to start over. _No one loves me._ He had always had Sakura, but did he really have her anymore? _No one loves me._ He couldn't stop hearing it in his mind. Why couldn't past experiences be washed away? Everything he had been through had had a negative effect on his personality. Why couldn't personalities be changed? Why couldn't he just be a different, happy, content person? He was always wanting things, always hating things. There was nothing he liked anymore, and he didn't want the few things he did have. Nothing was good enough, least of all himself.

So he jumped into the ocean.


	12. 11: Beginnings of Desire

Isekai

Author's note: READ THIS! Sasuke is kind of emo at the beginning of this chapter. But there is fluff! And silliness!

Chapter Eleven: Beginnings of Desire

He was sinking further into the darknes. _Appropriate,_ Sasuke thought, already feeling the urge to breathe become overpowering, _considering that is what my soul has done_. . His lungs burned, but the pain was a relief. _I deserve this. I killed the only person who ever loved me unconditionally…_ He remembered seeing his brother standing over his parents' bodies. He remembered blasting through Karin, heartlessly attempting to kill Sakura twice, the battle with Naruto…

_I deserve all of the pain that I get. I am an evil person. I am disgusting, pathetic. _

He let out a scream, the murky water filling his mouth as he sank. He choked on the water. Opening his eyes, he looked up at the sunlight bursting through the water.

Itachi's smile. Naruto's laugh. Sakura's soft hand on his arm. Karin's shriek of worry for him. Kakashi's gentle sympathy. Why had he been in such a hurry to give it all up?

_What have I done? I threw it all away. I spent so much time thinking about what I lost…that I gave up everything else._

_I don't deserve this second chance. I deserve torture. I deserve pain. _

He opened his eyes once again, and something glinting in the meager watery light caught his eye. It was trapped on a rock, snagged on a crag by a thin, impossibly delicate chain that was rusting. At the end of the chain was a silver pendant of irregular shape with intricate engravings. Briefly forgetting his mental turbulence, he reached out to touch the pendant. As he did, he heard a rushing sound. Looking around, he saw an enormous shadow speeding towards him, and when he realized it was a shark-or something like it-he snatched the pendant and panicked, gripping the posts of the dock and vaulting himself upwards, adrenaline giving him a strength he had never known without the aid of chakra.

He breached the surface, flying onto the dock and rolling a few feet away from the edge, sprawled out on the wooden planks. He looked up just in time to see jagged teeth and a large grey fin disappear underneath the ripples calmly, reminding him of Suigetsu. After coughing up buckets of water from his lungs, he sank down again to look at the pendant he had managed to clutch the entire time. In the sunlight, he examined it more easily, and could appreciate the obvious craftsmanship. It looked old; perhaps it was generations old. One side was a smooth curve, as though it was half of a perfect circle. The engravings zigzagged over the silver, reminiscent of veins. The other edge was jagged, but had been intended to be that way. Turning it over revealed something that made his eyes widen: scratched into the back of the pendant was the same symbol that had been branded onto Neji's forehead and on the wall of the cavern: the symbol of defection. It looked as though it had been done with a pocket knife, and had been poorly done, the lines jutting out as if to bespeak of anger.

_It's probably not worth anything. And yet…it possibly saved my life._ Deciding against throwing it out, Sasuke rose to his feet, stuffing the pedant and chain in the pocket of his black uniform pants. Perhaps it was Neji's, and he had lost it? It seemed unlikely that it had merely drifted here from Chun Wu. Sopping wet, Sasuke made his way back into the academy, running into Sai, who had finally donned a shirt.

"How's the water, Uchiha?" he seemed to be in his usual blank but good mood as he surveyed Sasuke's appearance. His gaze rested on Sasuke's ebony hair. "Ah, I didn't realize that particular species of kelp resided in these waters."

Self-consciously, Sasuke ran a hand through his hair, finding the damned piece of seaweed. "Interesting that you went in that water, considering the famed deadly sharks inhabit it," Sai added, raising his eyebrows. Sasuke scowled.

"Mind your own damn business," he retorted, turning to leave. He heard Sai laugh. "I just wanted to cool off," he added over his shoulder.

"Amazing. When you want something, you take the most extreme option possible. When Sasuke Uchiha wants to cool off, he doesn't take a cool shower or drink water-he dives into a dangerous ocean. A blessing and a curse," Sai replied, turning and walking in the other direction. "You must be the type who can put their mind to anything…where it is good or bad." Sasuke froze as he listened to Sai's footsteps until they had disappeared; he was alone in the hallway. Sai was right…he had been fully capable of putting every ounce of energy and thought into his revenge scheme. Did that mean he was capable doing the same for something else? His family's death had driven him for so many years, but could he find something else to drive him? To give him the strength to do other things with the same amount of motivation? For some reason, he thought of Sakura.

Sasuke jogged back to the apartment and began searching the intranet for something about this strange pendant, but came upon nothing. _Why do I feel like it must be important? _The cave in Elithrael had had that same symbol; was it the sign of a rebel force embracing the symbol of defection? Sasuke slipped the pendant out of his pocket and turned on his desk light, holding it up close. There were no other markings that he could find.

Could he perhaps get something out of Neji? It was probably pointless, but….Sai's words replayed in his head, and before he knew it, he had thrown on the rest of his uniform and was stalking to the hangar. Gaara was there, and it looked like Sakura and Shizune had just returned from the hospital.

"Sasuke! You came to greet us?" Shizune said in surprise as she stepped off the transport. Sasuke ignored her, searching for his hovercycle among the vehicles.

"Where was Neji staying?" he demanded, finding his sleek black hovercycle and the black helmet he preferred. He put in the coordinates for Fleuria. Shizune, Sakura, and Gaara stared at him suspiciously.

"Why do you need to know? And why are you soaked?" Shizune spoke up, looking closely at him. Sasuke turned to Sakura.

"You're coming with me," he ordered, tossing her a helmet. Sakura gaped.

"M-me?" She pointed to herself, her green eyes wide. To his pleasure, there was a light blush dusting her cheeks. She may have still been mad at him, but for now, he had caught her off guard. This notion pleased him.

"Yes, you. Get on the back of the hovercycle; we don't have much time."

Before Shizune or Gaara could stop them, Sasuke had yanked Sakura onto the hovercycle, ordering her to wrap her arms around his chest, and taken off into the sunny Gaulin sky.

"What's going on, Sasuke?" Sakura demanded, yelling over the sound of the rushing air. She tightened her arms around his torso despite how wet his clothes were. Had he showered with his clothes on? It seemed like a Sasuke kind of thing to do, to save time, but she realized he smelled salty, like the ocean, and it raised her suspicions.

Sasuke contemplated telling her to reach into his pocket for the pendant, but felt his cheeks heat up at that prospect. Instead, he landed them briefly on a hill overlooking Gaulin. Sakura seemed dazed by the rapid changes in altitude, but nevertheless he shoved the pendant at her. She pulled up her helmet, inspecting it closely.

"Look at the back," he snapped impatiently. Sakura shot him a glower but did as told, and gasped when she too saw the mark.

"We need to get to Neji," she agreed, handing it back to him. "Did you tell Itachi?"

"He was asleep," Sasuke replied before taking off again, whizzing through the air. Soon they had reached Fleuria, and with a little help from Sakura, they located the hospital and ran inside, flashing their identification at anyone that asked.

"Where did you find it?" Sakura panted as they skidded down the hall where Neji was, coming to a squeaking stop at his door.

"….The docks," Sasuke replied, nearly throwing a nurse out of the way. He burst through the door to Neji's room, with Sakura following on his heels.

Neji had been asleep, his face pained, but woke at Sasuke's entrance. "What is this?" Sasuke demanded, thrusting the pendant at Neji. The Hyuuga was barely awake and blinked, taking the pendant to look at it. When he recognized it, his face paled instantly.

"Where did you get this?"

"It was caught on a rock underneath the docks," Sasuke said, still catching his breath. Neji shot him a curious look before returning to his examination. He seemed terrified.

"…This is Hinata's, though I have no idea why this symbol is on it."

* * *

Neji had suggested they talk to someone who was still in Hinata's life, and Chouji seemed to be the obvious choice. Negotiations with Chun Wu about the incident in the caves had yet to be reached, so Sasuke and Sakura decided to go in disguise. They had found a costume store in Gaulin, and bought wigs and new clothes.

"This is ridiculous. Why do we have to go this far, Sakura?" Sasuke demanded in a harsh whisper. They were in the dressing area of the costume store. Sasuke was wearing a platinum blond wig that was shaped similar to Rock Lee's hair: like a bowl, with perfectly straight, even strands. He was also wearing large pink tinted sunglasses and an orange patterned shirt. "Only Naruto would wear something like _this._"

Sakura could not fight back a giggle at Sasuke's appearance, and laughed even harder when his glower deepened. "Come on, no one will recognize you with that outfit. It's perfect!"

"Fine. But then I'm picking out your costume," he snarled, throwing aside the curtain and storming back into the store area. He returned, shoving a pile of clothes and a wig at Sakura. "Here."

She had had no idea Sasuke could be this….creative. The wig was a tangerine color, short curls in the front and long ringlets in the back and hanging down to her thighs, an inch above the top of the thigh-high boots he had supplied her with. The dress was pleated and white and black.

"Sasuke! You're dressing me up like _a hooker_?" Sakura stomped out of her dressing room to Sasuke's vision. He had a cat-like grin on his face.

"Come on, no one will recognize you with that outfit. It's perfect!" he mimicked in a high-pitched voice. Sakura blushed heavily.

"I cannot possibly wear these boots!"

"Fine." Sasuke retrieved long, slouchy socks and flat shoes, and a longer, dark green dress. It was slightly less humiliating, and certainly easier to walk in. After paying for their new outfits, they set off.

"Maybe we shouldn't take the hovercycle-wouldn't that get recognized?" Sakura suggested. They parked it in the lot reserved for academy students and staff. "Also, what's our story?"

"I don't know, you pick," Sasuke grumbled as they walked to the station to buy ferry tickets. Sakura grinned evilly, rubbing her hands together.

"Okay, howabout this: you're my gigolo!"

"No. Howabout this? You're my mentally challenged sister," Sasuke snapped, paying for their tickets. They boarded the ferry, their outfits attracting stares. Sakura smacked his arm, but was secretly pleased that he was joking with her. They stood by the railing, and the ferry set sail for Chun Wu.

"We…could be newly weds," she suggested hesitantly. Sasuke shot her a look, but it was partially hidden by his rosy sunglasses.

"Believable. Who else would marry people that looked like this?" He gestured to their outfits and hair. Sakura laughed.

"Ooh, we could be on our honey moon!" she clapped her hands together. "We already are wearing our wedding rings, anyway." she held her hand up in the sunlight to showcase the gold band. "We can buy a camera in one of the shops at Chun Wu. Your name will be…" she paused, tapping her lips in thought. "Oh, I know! We'll just switch the letters of our first and last names! You'll be Yusuke Shichiha. And I'll be… Hakura Saruno!"

"What are you, five years old?" Sasuke draped his arms over the railing, staring out at the ocean. Inwardly, he was enjoying the silliness, though remembering the morning's events was sobering. Why had he jumped into the water? He began to wonder about fate and destiny: had it all been so he would find the pendant? Or had it been mere coincidence? He wanted to believe he had been meant to jump and find the pendant, but he couldn't ignore the fact that he didn't really belong in this world anyway.

"Why did you jump into the ocean?" Sakura's voice was quieter now. Sasuke let out a sigh.

"I wanted to go for a swim."

"…Really?" When he met Sakura's eyes, his resolve to not tell her crumbled. She was looking at him so hopefully, so…lovingly.

"No, but I'm not ready to discuss it yet," he finally said, slumping forward. To his surprise, he felt Sakura's hand on his shoulder, and goosebumps prickled along his skin.

"I'll listen when you want to talk." She sounded like she was struggling to be so patient. Sasuke looked at her, feeling a strange sensation surge through him. Even with the ridiculous wig and outfit on, her emerald eyes burned through him, and he felt the urge to hold her.

"…Thank you."

As he spoke, he was reminded of the night Sakura had tried to stop him from leaving Konoha, and by the stricken expression on her face, she had been reminded of it too. He wanted to show her that this was not the same thing, that he would not ignore what she had so kindly offered him. Back then it had been herself, but now, it was her understanding. Why was he suddenly filled with such regret at that memory? She had offered herself, been ready to do anything, and he had just…ignored it.

_No, I didn't ignore it. _It had been a memory that he had treasured, secretly. Yet, as the years passed, his guilt had grown, making him unable to recall the incident without burning shame, and then anger. _I always would think 'she must be laughing at me now'_. But now he could see: would Sakura ever have truly laughed _at_ him? She might tease him, she might giggle when he did something ridiculous…but she would never have laughed at his misfortune. Why had he ever thought she would? Now that he was with Sakura, the notion seemed absurd, and he felt ashamed of such childish thoughts. He pressed his lips together as she turned away to face the ocean. She looked like she was in pain. Taking a deep breath, Sasuke reached out, copying her and placing his hand on her shoulder. She glanced at him, clearly surprised. "I mean it. I appreciate it. I'll tell you later about it."

Before he could stop her, Sakura had flung her arms around him, burying her face in his chest.

"I'm sorry for being mad at you this morning!" she wailed into his hideous shirt. "I just don't understand you, and it's so confusing!"

Awkwardly, Sasuke patted her back, realizing they were attracting stares from the other passengers.

"It's fine, Sakura-"

"No, it's not! I'm sorry, Sai just got me so flustered…" she trailed off, realizing she was about to cry. And yet she couldn't bring herself to pull away from Sasuke's lean chest.

"Sakura, calm down."

"I can't! I need you to understand my feelings," she said, her words muffled by the fabric. "Please, just listen. We won't be able to…to survive here….. without working through this. Sai reminded me of the way I had wished you were. He was still maddening like you, but he always was open and willing to hear me out. He kind of looked like you. I just…I guess I transferred my feelings for you to him. I wasn't ready to give up my love for you, but every time we found something that condemned you, it became harder and harder to believe in you. And then after you tried to kill me, I think I nearly lost all hope. But Sai was there, and it was so easy to pretend that that was the _real_ you. Not this…this monster you had become."

Sasuke froze. _Monster…_

She had thought he was a monster. The worst thing was that she was absolutely right. _Maybe her laughing at me would be better than this._

"You said it gave you a high to have killed someone from Konoha, and that disgusted me. Naruto tried to convince me that your feelings were understandable, but…"

"But really they weren't," Sasuke finished for her. Sakura pulled away from his chest to look up at him, her eyes wet. She bit her lip. Sasuke began to turn away, but she clutched him, surprising him with her strength.

"They _were._ I just couldn't see it at the time. I had always tried to meet you with love and kindness, but what I didn't know was that half of love is understanding, and the other is faith and belief. I couldn't understand you, and I didn't have enough faith left in you to make up for it." She looked down. "I didn't know it then, but I would transfer all of my feelings towards you onto Sai. I would yell at him, I would cry over something he had said…I would crave his attention. It was a despicable way to act, but it is what happened."

Telling Sasuke all of this was like emptying the venom from a snake bite. Sakura let go, feeling lighter, freer. But Sasuke felt like she had stabbed him. So she had seen him as a monster. He cringed, turning away. _That's what I truly am: a monster._

"Sasuke," Sakura murmured, standing behind him. "The reason I loved you when we were children was because you gave everything your all. You never went half-way on anything…I should have understood that you wouldn't go half-way on revenge. You never gave up on finding the solution to a math problem; you are like me in that you need a solution to every thing. You can't leave anything undone. It's a painful way to exist, isn't it?"

Even as she spoke, she could feel Sasuke closing up on her again. At first, she was frustrated, but then remembered what Naruto had said to her back in Konoha: _Sasuke is not a difficult person to understand. Just try to think of how you would feel if you were in his situation. I had a similar situation, so I can understand._

Naruto was right. And she knew she had just called him a monster; of course he would want to shut himself off from her. "I don't think you're a monster, just so you know. I was scared and angry back then. I didn't know what to do with the glimpse of you I had had during that battle. When you laughed like that…it was terrifying. I didn't recognize you. Everyone had warned me you'd be a different person, but I hadn't realized just _how_ different."

Sasuke searched for words, but was saved by the fact that they had arrived at Chun Wu. He felt Sakura touch his back lightly, and involuntarily he stiffened.

"Yusuke, let's just try to put this behind us for the sake of being here," she said a little loudly. She clasped his hand and leaned on his arm as they disembarked and were officially on Chun Wu land. Sasuke mechanically followed Sakura.

"Yes, Hakura," he replied coldly. He hadn't intended to sound so cold, but now that he had, it was too late to take it back. Sakura seemed stung, but hardly showed it as they began walking toward the palace.

"Oh Yusuke, I would love to see the palace. I wonder if they offer tours."

Sasuke scowled. It was obvious that no one was tailing them, despite there being guards _everywhere. _But perhaps there were more in disguise? Chun Wu was like a giant Hyuuga compound: beautiful and manicured outwardly, hiding dark secrets inside. There were tons of tourists, but Chun Wu was probably on the lookout for members from the Gaulin Academy. Even if they didn't look like it, they could easily be doing something that might give themselves away.

"Try to be a little nicer, Yusuke," Sakura warned, squeezing his hand. Sasuke let out a sigh and walked closer, trying his best to look like a man in love. It wasn't like he hated Sakura. Quite the contrary: he had learned new things about his feelings for Sakura in the past few days. But he wasn't the type to normally show affection, and because of what had passed between them on the ferry, there was unpleasant tension between them.

The truth was that he had been affected by what Sakura had said. He knew he had seemed like a monster; that estimation of him wasn't entirely incorrect. He had done horrible things, committed unforgivable crimes. It was the guilt that resulted from these things that had driven him to want to destroy _everything._ Because if nothing remained, no one could laugh at him, at how foolish he had been, how pathetic he was….

Unwittingly he squeezed Sakura's hand, and was surprised by the outcome: he felt a little better. She wasn't laughing at him. And he realized she never had been laughing at him. She accepted him. She was trying to understand him, even if she had no experiences to adequately draw from to relate to him. In a way, that was better than Naruto relating to him: Sakura didn't have the means to understand, but she was trying anyway. Sakura looked up at him in surprise and he looked away.

They came upon the palace and Sakura led him around the side. "I wonder if there are royal gardens that we could see," she said, coming upon a break in the enormous wall. The gate was locked, however, and Sakura frowned.

Sasuke almost laughed. Getting through a simple locked gate? How many times had he done that, and without chakra? In fact, it was ideal to avoid the use of chakra in these cases. He looked around before leaning against the gate, making it appear that he was leisurely chatting with Sakura, while one hand worked at the hinges.

"Maybe we should think about moving here…._darling,_" Sasuke said. When Sakura realized what he was doing, she too leaned against the wall, taking a water bottle out of her purse to casually sip at. The truth was that even though Sasuke had not meant 'darling' seriously, it made her heart race.

"It's just so hot though. It's nice for a vacation, but can you imagine trying to raise children in such a crowded city?"

The narrow gate was undone at the hinges, only held by the locks.

"Oh, looks like it is open, honey," Sasuke said in mock surprise, taking Sakura by the hand and leading her in. Once inside the palace walls, Sakura led the way to the kitchens. Inside, it was busy as usual. Chouji was working on a dish, perspiration beading on his brow. Sakura wove her way through the servants, going entirely unnoticed.

"Chouji!" Sakura said. Chouji nearly dropped the large pot he was holding and looked over.

"Huh? Who are you-" he stopped when Sakura lifted her wig just enough to reveal her hair. Chouji paled when he recognized her. "You could get in so much trouble if-"

"I'm Hakura Shichiha," she explained. "That is my husband, Yusuke Shichiha." She pointed to Sasuke and Chouji let out a snort.

"Alright. Welcome, Hakura. What can I do for you?" he set the pot down, placing his hands on his hips. Sasuke stepped forward, slipping the pendant out of his pocket just long enough for Chouji to get a good look at it. Chouji's jaw clenched. "Come with me." He directed one of the servants to finish his job, and led Sakura and Sasuke out of the kitchen and to the kitchen garden, where the herbs and vegetables grew. They were in the shadow of the Hyuuga palace.

Sasuke explained how he had found it, handing it over to Chouji. He shook his head, staring at the pendant.

"This is bad. This pendant is passed down through the Hyuuga empresses. Since their marriages are always arranged, they give this pendant to the man they are actually in love with. When that man also gets married, he returns the pendant to the empress in love with him. It's a sort of tacit agreement to an affair. I only know about this because her highness Hinata was upset about her own true love. But this happened years ago. About eight years ago, I'd say-"

"When Naruto was working for the Chun Wu army," Sasuke finished. Chouji's eyes widened in surprise, and Sakura gaped at Sasuke. How had he figured that out?

Chouji nodded. "Do you know President Uzumaki?"

"No. It was just a guess."

"I see. Well, as far as I know, it never had the defection symbol on it. I don't think Hinata would have put such a horrible symbol on something her mother once owned, and I am positive it would have never reached Hanabi's hands," Chouji murmured, staring at the pendant. "I am positive she gave it to President Uzumaki, but…how it ended up at your academy, I don't know."

"Do you think it's important in terms of war?" Sasuke seemed impatient. Chouji nodded.

"I have a bad feeling about this whole defection business. Nowadays.." Chouji looked around anxiously before whispering again. "…nowadays, anyone who suggests they might defect…mysteriously disappears."

"So the emperor has them executed. I see now. But why is it such a problem to defect? You'd expect the Hyuuga to treasure selectivity: leaving would be fine." Chouji shook his head at Sasuke.

"My hunch is that they're not being executed. I've worked in these kitchens a long time. If I were to guess, I'd say that something else is going on. Quiet execution really isn't the emperor's style, I can tell you that. Actually, I had my best friend look into this matter recently. He's still looking. You should talk to him," Chouji said absently, slipping out a piece of paper. Sakura supplied him with a pen and he scrawled something, leaning the paper against the wall. "Check him out. Actually, he used to go to the Elite Fleurian Academy, so you might know him."

The name on the paper was Shikamaru Nara, with a comm number and online messaging name. Sakura raised her eyebrows when Sasuke seemed distressed at the name.

"Thanks so much. Any chance we could talk to Hinata?" Sakura asked, stowing the paper away in her purse. Chouji sighed in thought.

"I doubt it. I can contact you if I see a way, but everything she does is pretty closely monitored by her father."

They bid Chouji good-bye, and he sent them off with bags of leftovers.

"Why were you upset just now?" Sakura asked, slipping her hand into Sasuke's.

"I heard that you used to date the guy that he just told us about, and apparently, I didn't like it, so I beat the crap out of him," Sasuke replied sourly. Sakura laughed.

"Wait, really? That's amazing. Wow. Me and Shikamaru…I mean, I always thought he was sexy, and he does seem to get all the girls, but-"

"Look darling, a beautiful tower," Sasuke interrupted, scowling behind his glasses. Sakura stared at him in shock.

If she didn't know any better…she'd think Sasuke had been jealous just then.

* * *

They returned to the academy after throwing out their costumes, still undecided on whether to tell Itachi of what they had learned. Itachi seemed to be withholding information from them, and it seemed worthless to involve the academy when they had no idea if this really even meant anything.

"In the end, the person we really need to talk to is Naruto," Sakura said, sighing. They were sitting on the balcony of their apartment. Apparently Neji had covered for them and said they had been visiting him the whole time. Sakura was impressed by Neji's willingness to lie for them, but she supposed he had the same goals as they did.

"I wonder if my meeting with him will be rescheduled." Sasuke copied Sakura and they slid their legs through the railing's bars and let them dangle. The sun was setting over the ocean, painting the waves and the sky rich hues of tangerine, lavender, hot pink, and streaks of light blue. "I could ask him then."

Sakura rested her chin in her hands, tilting her body to look at Sasuke. She found herself smiling at him.

"You were really amazing today," she blurted before she could stop herself. Sasuke scoffed.

"Yes, my ability to put up with such a ridiculous outfit was incredible. I surprised myself."

"No. I mean…you just…I don't know. You're so cool. You got us through that door, no problem. And you had all that figured out about Naruto when we were talking to Chouji," she rambled, feeling her cheeks heat up.

"You would have figured it out too if you had had that meeting with Itachi, Kakashi, and Neji. They told me Naruto had had an affair with the emperor's daughter when he was fifteen, which was about 8 years ago. Then he got kicked out of the Chun Wu army when her father found out."

"I wonder what happened to Hinata when her dad found out," Sakura said softly. Sasuke noted the way the evening ocean breeze was playing with the ends of her hair and pressed his lips together.

"Probably nothing good."

They sat in silence for a little while longer, and Sakura realized they were just enjoying each other's company. Even though she had been furious at him, even though she had told him such awful things on the ferry…he seemed lost in thought, but it was in a good way. Her heart began to beat faster as she recalled waking up in his arms.

_You could ask him about it. Catch him by surprise. _

She looked at Sasuke again. It seemed impossible that he would voluntarily hold her in his arms, but how else could it be explained? And he had kissed her. And he had seemed jealous today when she had commented on Shikamaru's appearance.

_Maybe I'm just reading into things. Maybe I'm just getting my hopes up._ Yet a tiny voice inside her pointed to the evidence. A kiss was a kiss. He had chosen to kiss her. But could she ignore his crimes from their own world? Could she put them aside for her old feelings? Should she? A kiss was a kiss, but a criminal was a criminal. What exactly had he done? She knew of some of his crimes, but when it came down to it, he was a murderer. It had been in the guise of revenge, but objectively, he had murdered his brother in cold blood. He had laughed after killing Danzo. Naruto had tried to explain to her that it wasn't that simple. He had tried to tell her and everyone else that if they put a little effort into it, they would understand Sasuke's feelings and actions very well. He had said that if it hadn't been for Iruka's kindness, he would likely be in Sasuke's position. _Are people's spirits really so malleable? Can we all become monsters with just the right amount of pain and the wrong amount of love?_

"Sasuke…"

"Hn?"

"Help me understand your life. I told you my feelings, but you have never really told me yours. What have these past five years been like for you?"

He had been thinking of the 'mission' they had gone on today, and her question threw him off balance. He hadn't been expecting it at all, especially since she was technically supposed to still be mad at him. She was looking at him, her head tilted to the side, her eyes sparkling like the ocean. Pressing his forehead to the bars of the railing, he closed his eyes.

"I don't know how to answer that."

"Try. Just ramble. Or, tell me how you were feeling when you killed Danzo."

"I felt nothing." He was being honest. "I had just killed my own brother recently, so my feelings left me. I had forgotten what feelings were like."

"Did it scare you to not be able to feel?"

"It was…disturbing. I thought I had completely lost my mind."

He drew in a deep breath, and she watched as his fists clenched. "When I killed Danzo, I thought: that's one less person from Konoha who can laugh at me. That's one less person who can think ill of Itachi. I wanted to enjoy the victory, but I kept thinking of the rest of the genin, and how they must be laughing at me, and I forgot about my victory against Danzo. Then when Naruto came and acted like he understood me, that was the first time I felt anything in a long time."

Sakura couldn't believe his willingness to talk. It seemed so unlike Sasuke. Yet had she cracked him finally?

"What did you feel?"

"Rage. Why was he pretending to get it? He could never understand me. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to defeat him. I wanted to never have to think of how poorly any of you thought of me. If every Konohan was dead, then, I thought, maybe I would find peace. If I knew that no one was left who had caused me pain, or knew of my pain, I would find peace. I thought of you all, enjoying your stupid lives, so free from misery, and it angered me. Why me? Why did everyone else have such easy, simple, happy lives? And when anyone acted kind towards me, I saw it as condescension. They thought they knew so much. No one was there for me when my parents were murdered. No one tried to help Itachi out of his dilemma. No one was there for me when I had such horrible nightmares that I wanted to kill myself. You all acted so happy to be around me, but no one ever really reached out to me."

Sakura was shocked and saddened by Sasuke's words. She felt the beginnings of tears. This was how he had felt? Alone? But he had always acted like he _wanted_ to be alone. And suddenly, she began to understand.

"I guess it's easier to reject others first, before you can be rejected. When you saw that no one was really trying to help you, you turned your back on the world, to save yourself from more pain," she replied, looking down at her legs. "But you were once someone that reached out to others. You talked with others and had lots of friends. Don't you remember those days?"

"Of course I do. Back when I still had a family. I could go home and tell my mom something that a friend had said, or I could show my father a new technique my teacher had taught me. Maybe I'd tell my brother some joke I had learned. It was easy to be open with others, because they _wanted_ me to be open with them. But no one really wanted to know how I was feeling after the massacre. They just wanted to tell me to get over it."

"It must be those little things, like having your mom put a test you had done well on on the refrigerator, or something, that are the really hard things. Not even the initial grief."

Sasuke stared at her questioningly. "When you left…It was hard to not see you at the bridge, or to not look forward to running into you on my errands in the village. Harder than knowing you had gone, somehow. There were all these little things that came up, all these ways I had never realized how big a part of my life you were. I had always just thought of you as my crush and teammate…not as a major part of my life."

She was crying now, and he didn't know what to do. "I'm sorry," she said, wiping her tears. "I'm just…I am beginning to understand how you feel, I think." He felt his chest tighten. The pain evident in her eyes was unbearable. "I just felt so angry sometimes, and I didn't even know who I was angry at. Everyone…mostly myself. I should have been able to stop you, I told myself." she explained herself, letting out a deep shuddering breath when she was done. Sasuke nodded.

"I always felt that if I had done things differently, I could have prevented my clan's death."

"But you couldn't!"

"Yeah, and there's nothing you could have done to stop me leaving Konoha. I had made up my mind a long time ago."

The tension between them had thickened considerably now. Sakura felt her anger spike at him saying that though she supposed it was true. But why hadn't he held his bonds with team seven in higher esteem? Why had they-no, why had _she_-been so disposable to him?

"You were Kakashi's favorite. You had your pick of all the girls in Konoha. Everyone wanted to be your friend," she said now, feeling her anger rising. "I had no friends. Kakashi thought I was worthless, Naruto only paid attention to me when he remembered he had a crush on me, and I got bullied mercilessly. I had my family, and to be honest, that was it. When I saw you walk away from everything, I was so…pissed off. You walked away from everything that I had ever wanted."

"Kakashi didn't think you were worthless."

"Yes. he did. You three had your own dynamic, and I was just on the side, only noticed because of my crush on you. And even then, that didn't merit much attention. I never earned any recognition for the strides I made in genjutsu, or the fact that I was second in the class. I wasn't powerful enough, I wasn't pretty enough, I wasn't cool enough."

Sasuke was shocked by all the rage that Sakura had stored up. He hadn't anticipated how bitter she might be. Angry tears slid down her cheeks as she turned to him, her hands balled into fists. "I was just like the stupid cherry blossoms I'm named for. Powerless, only getting brief attention at their peak, and then when they're gone, forgotten. And you…you could have anything you wanted…"

"I didn't have a family. That was what I wanted."

"You could have married! Have kids, a wife…maybe it's not the exact same thing. But I couldn't make friends, and when you left, I felt that the only guy I would ever love was gone. You gave up so much friendship and caring from Naruto and Kakashi. Why? And then you laughed in our faces when we tried to bring you back." Her chest was heaving, and she surprised him by tackling him, glaring down at him. Her tears dripped off her cheeks and onto his. "Why! Why!" She shook his shoulders. "You're such an idiot. I can't believe you left."

Sasuke couldn't bring himself to be angry. He had similar feelings towards Itachi. How many times had he asked the darkness of the night why Itachi had done it?

So he did the thing he had always wanted someone to do for him: he grasped her arms, steadying her, and pulled her down into a hug. They lay on the balcony, their legs tangled, Sakura's irregular breathing the only sound besides the waves crashing into the dock. He felt her tears wetting his shirt. In a way, he was proud of her: she wasn't whining. She was honestly angry. She wasn't the same damsel in distress: she was something so much greater than that. She had come around to realize his flaws, and see what he had done wrong, instead of turning a blind eye to it like she had before. He had always assumed that if they met again, she would throw herself into his arms. The past few days had shown she was a new, different, stronger Sakura.

Sakura had too many emotions coursing through her right now to have a reaction to Sasuke's hug. He wasn't saying anything, wasn't trying to be soothing, he just was holding her. It was steady, it was safe, it was a kind of feeling she had not thought Sasuke capable of creating.

"I think I really do understand you now," she said into his shirt. "I feel so…angry now. I just want to punch something." Sasuke smirked.

"And isn't it fun?" he asked sarcastically, earning a chuckle from Sakura.

Amidst all of her anger and resentment towards Sasuke, she felt happy and calm now. The old feelings melted away, leaving her with a pleasant emptiness.

"Why are we still lying here?" she asked, not making a move towards removing herself from him.

"No idea."

"Okay. Just checking."

She shifted herself to lie next to him on the balcony as they stared up at the twilight sky, still pressed against him. She could tell herself that it was only because the balcony was so small, but in reality they both knew that there was plenty of room for them to lie apart from each other.

"When I was little, I thought I was the only person who could possibly appreciate the cherry blossom trees blooming. I thought they must bloom because I was there," Sasuke began. "I told my mother this, and she said that was silly of me; festivals were held every year for the cherry blossoms. She told me that they were so special because they bloomed again every year-a special event signaling hope and life. They would come in spring, after a long winter, disappearing at the first signs of summer. Summer and autumn would come, and when it became cold, we had the blossoming of the Sakura trees to look forward to. In a way, they're a symbol of hope: a reassurance that the winter must be survived. Their beauty is dependable and infinite."

Sakura's breath caught. "I forgot about the cherry blossoms while I was away. Then when they bloomed that first year, I realized she was right-everyone else did know how special they were. It wasn't just my gift. I still felt hopeful when I saw them, however. They're not weak and powerless and only noticed when they bloom. No one can forget the cherry blossom days once they have experienced them once. And no painter can capture their beauty, and the power they have to move people to tears."

He would not tell her how once he had seen his father with tears in his eyes during one particularly beautiful spring. They had passed by a stand of ancient sakura trees. He had been little at the time, but even he had had his breath taken away by the sight. Pink clouds under a blue sky, their petals floating away.

"…Thanks, Sasuke," Sakura finally said, swallowing her tears. _Must not cry._ But his words had shaken her. Sasuke elbowed her.

"Don't take too much from it," he admonished, feeling a grin on his lips that he was unable to hide. Sakura laughed, placing her arm over his.

"By the way…" she began nervously. _Should I say it? _"This morning was nice," she mumbled. She felt Sasuke tense and slowly relax.

"…Hn."


	13. 12: Chasing Pavements

Isekai

Author's Note: Are you guys getting my review replies? If you leave a long review, or point out something important, I usually reply to it. Not sure they're getting sent! Haha I am writing this chapter to avoid chores and studying for neurosci…yay! How are you guys liking the updating pace? I'm _trying_ to do one update per week, usually between Sunday and Tuesday, but…we will see if I can keep that up!

Chapter Twelve: Chasing Pavements

"Men ….and women," Itachi appended when Sakura glared at him. "This is a problem."

_No shit…but what I actually want to know is what Itachi's hiding,_ Sasuke thought, regarding his brother carefully. Itachi was not a difficult person to figure out-leading up to the massacre, Itachi had seemed uncertain of even the tiniest things, he had slept hours longer than normal, and refused to make eye contact with anyone. But he wouldn't get any information out of Itachi by directly asking him. Itach was smart enough to have answers and a normal reaction prepared for any direct questions. And he couldn't just search Itachi's desk. _Then the only option left is to ask questions that will lead to helpful answers. "_I'm having Kakashi and Rin research information, because at this point, your students are missing your classes too much. So I think until the weekend, we're going to have to put you guys on hold," Itachi continued, pacing behind his desk. He looked exhausted. Was being a commander of the academy really so challenging for a genius like Itachi?

"That's fine," Sakura said with a smile. Sasuke almost laughed at how innocent Sakura seemed. Their plan was to go pay a visit to Shikamaru after their classes, under the guise of visiting Sasuke's parents. The meeting with Shikamaru would probably not take long, and he was rather close by. Having graduated from the Elite Fleurian Academy, he had taken an intelligence job somewhere near Kalaia. The article they had found out all this on didn't specify _where_ near Kalaia, but Sakura had a hunch that they'd find something out if they looked around the library.

_Actually…that green-haired girl might be able to help us,_ she thought with a grin. That girl, Lila, seemed intent on helping out everyone and anyone. _Oh right, and she has a crush on Itachi. I wonder if Itachi even knows she exists…. _She watched Itachi wearily look out the window, bent over slightly from the weight of his troubles...

_ Probably not_. After Itachi had ended the impromptu meeting, they followed Neji and Sai to the cafeteria.

"I wouldn't have minded missing some classes," Neji groaned, slamming his tray of food down on their table.

"Ah, you'd rather have family members shoot poison bullets at you? That gives me a much better idea of what you want for your birthday, Neji," Sai said with a grin, earning laughs from everyone except for Neji. Sakura noted how lately, Rin and Kakashi had seemed close, and recalled Itachi saying he was putting them together on a mission. _Way to go, Rin,_ Sakura thought with a smile. She watched Rin playfully slap Kakashi's arm at something he had said. _In my own world they didn't have a happy ending…but maybe here, they finally can…_

Her heart swelled with hope and when she looked at Sasuke, it seemed to grow. _Hope…_ how long had they lain there last night, out on the balcony? By the time they had gone in for dinner, it was dark and stars dotted the sky. It had been hours of lazy chatting, mostly on Sakura's end. But laying with Sasuke under the stars….she felt her cheeks heat up. _It was perfect. No other word to describe it._

Sasuke looked over at her, noticing her gaze on him, and loaded his fork up with food, threatening to use it as a trebuchet and hit her with the food. He wasn't smiling, but there was a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"You know, it's so cute how you guys manage to still flirt even though you're married," Leena commented, sighing in their direction. "Look at you guys. You look like teenagers who want in each other's pants. The tension is palpable."

Even Sasuke blushed at her comment.

After fumbling through her afternoon class, Sakura made her way to the library, intent on asking Lila about Shikamaru's whereabouts. When she got to the library, Lila was behind her desk, eating lunch and reading something. At Sakura's entrance, she jumped up, startled. Her book and fork clattered to the floor.

"Relax, Lila," Sakura said with a laugh, helping the student pick up what she had dropped. "I just had a quick question: do you know where the Bfelta labs are?" she prayed she was pronouncing that right. Lila brightened and pushed her glasses up.

"Yes, actually, I do! I did an internship there a while ago," she said, looking around the desk for something. Sakura marveled at how neat it was. Lila squealed in delight, producing a book of maps. "Here." she flipped through till she found a page and circled a set of coordinates. "They're right here. They're kind of complicated to get into though; you need diving gear, or they need to set up a sub to take you down to them."

"You needed diving gear to get to your internship everyday?" Sakura stared at Lila, who merely giggled.

"It was exciting, actually. The Bfelta labs are well protected. Why do you need to go there?" she cocked her head to the side curiously, her braids swinging.

"Oh, just visiting with an old friend. Maybe you know him-Shikamaru Nara?"

Lila paled. "Yes, but…permission to speak freely, Instructor?" she seemed cautious now. Sakura nodded. Hesitantly, Lila looked away, her cheeks red. "…Are you sure you should be visiting Dr. Nara after what Instructor Uchiha did?"

_She must be talking about how Sasuke beat up Shikamaru…. _

"He's fine with it, don't worry. But thanks for your concern! " Sakura laughed, patting Lila on the shoulder. "Could you do me a favor and call him up to let him know I'll be dropping in?" Lila nodded, already picking up the phone. After accepting the map, she began to turn, but something occurred to her. "Oh, and Lila-I noticed Itachi has been looking tired. Maybe some hot coffee would cheer him up," she said with a wink, leaving Lila blushing to her hairline. Once she was out of the library, she glanced around to make sure she was alone.

"Got the coordinates," Sakura said into her comm to Sasuke. There was static on the other end before he responded.

"Sounds good. Meet in the hangar in five," was his brief reply. Luckily there was no one int he hangar, and Sakura picked out her hoverboard, getting it ready. Sasuke strolled into the hangar, his uniform shirt undone, showcasing the white undershirt underneath. _Dammit. Is he capable of _not_ looking hot? Even when he had killed Danzo, he still looked like a work of art. Asshole._

"You're glaring at me," Sasuke greeted, finding his helmet and rubbing at a spot on it. Sakura sighed.

"Not at you, just was thinking. Sorry. We can talk about the book when we get to your parents," Sakura said cryptically, in case anyone was listening, though it occurred to her belatedly that if anyone talked to Lila, they'd find out where she and Sasuke had gone. Sasuke mounted his hovercycle, and Sakura nearly fainted at how _cool_ Sasuke always looked without even trying.

"That's fine. Let's head out," he replied, his voice muffled by his helmet. They took off into the late afternoon sky, heading in the direction of the Uchiha household, though they had no intention of actually going there. Sasuke wished they were, and yet, he almost felt as though seeing his parents was too much to handle. Sakura was leading the way, having memorized the path to the labs. Sasuke watched her as she sped along, her toned legs tensing and bending as she controlled the hoverboard. Her pink hair was whipping around her face, the fabric of her uniform rippling. Sasuke exhaled. Last night after they had gone to bed, he had been unable to sleep, the memory still fresh of Sakura's body against his as they lay on the balcony. Goosebumps prickled along his skin. How much longer could they ignore all of these voluntary moments of contact? The time when Sakura had put her hand on his back, the kiss at the ball, then waking up in the tent together…and then last night. He felt like they were building up to something, but what, he didn't know. He just wanted to break the tension, to reach the climax, but he was scared, and unsure if there really was any tension between them. Leena had commented on it at lunch, but had it been true? Did they really have chemistry?

_I'm just thinking all of this because I've never been in such close proximity with a girl,_ he told himself firmly. And yet, he knew that was a lie, and an obvious one at that. He had always thought Sakura was cute, but of course those feelings hadn't blossomed: not only had he been preoccupied with his own plans, he had also been twelve. Out of nowhere, it occurred to him that if he and Sakura married in their own world, he'd be restoring the Uchiha clan. Hope sparked within him but died when he realized that that was probably not what Sakura wanted. Seeing her flying on her hoverboard he knew in his heart that she needed freedom…not to become an Uchiha matriarch-a role bound by customs.

_But I'm the last Uchiha. I don't even have to restore the clan…. Not that it matters. I'll probably be executed if we ever return._ Executed…his chest clenched painfully at that word. It hadn't mattered before, but now… _I have ruined my chance at a normal life. I had it before I left for Orochimaru….but now…_ He could technically run and hide in another country, but Konoha hunter-nin would find him no matter what. They weren't stupid.

He found himself desperately hoping that they never return to Konoha.

Sakura's comm beeped as they flew over salt flats and marshes. Slowing to a stop, Sakura checked the screen. An unfamiliar code was displayed.

"This is Uchiha," she answered warily.

"Hi, Sakura," the other end replied flatly. It was unmistakably Shikamaru's familiar drawl, though slightly deeper, and his tone was chilly. Guilt surged through her and she wondered what exactly had passed between them here. "Worthington contacted me and I figured you'd be getting here soon with Uchiha. I heard you talked to Chouji."

"Shikamaru, would you feel better if Sasuke didn't join me?" she finally asked. The Shikamaru she had known would prefer to have things be upfront and honest between them, and she couldn't stand how icy his voice was. There was something about Shikamaru being mad at her that was worse than most people. He was such a relaxed person; if he was mad, it was over something _bad._ He paused.

"That's about the most considerate thing you've ever done, Sakura." She flinched. "But I don't care; this is business. You can get here via the sub, or you can take the long way and that way you can park your vehicles. I'll send a message with the coordinates; there's an entrance at the edge of the flats in the glass tunnels."

"Glass tunnels?" Sakura blurted out, not thinking. She heard his dry laugh.

"Yep. I don't really like going back there either, but now they've put an entrance there."

Something must have happened between them at these glass tunnels. Her heart began to pound, and she was filled with overwhelming curiosity.

"Well, I guess we'll do that. Thanks, Shikamaru," she said softly, noting the way Sasuke was glowering at nothing. "I really appreciate it."

He didn't respond, but merely hung up, and she felt hurt. _Whatever happened must have been really bad,_ she thought grimly. She floated over to Sasuke.

"He's giving us coordinates to a different entrance," she explained just as her comm beeped. "That must be it," she said. Sasuke rested his chin on his handlebars sullenly. Somehow, he had a bad feeling about seeing Shikamaru. He had heard the tone in Sakura's voice when talking to him. _And she said she thinks he's…sexy. Goddammit. Now I just want to punch Shikamaru,_ he thought, clenching his fists. _Wait a second. What if they had sex in this world? …What if she thought about having sex with him in our world? _Jealousy colored his mind and vision, and he gripped the handlebars a little too tightly as he followed Sakura over the wetlands. There was something in Sakura's posture that suggested anxiety, and his blood boiled. _Did Sakura save herself for me like she always told me she would?_ It hadn't mattered before, but suddenly it seemed vital. Her lithe legs, pale and soft looking like a rose petal-the thought of someone else touching them seemed _wrong._ Who did Sakura want? Thinking that it might not be him-that it probably _wasn't_ him-was painful. She said she had felt flustered by Sai's presence. And at that minibreak, she had mentioned how she had missed a chance at something good with Naruto. He sped up to drive next to her.

"We need to talk for a second," he yelled. Sakura seemed surprised but they descended, splashing on salt flats. It was beautiful here, the sky perfectly mirrored on the flats. Sasuke jumped off his bike, yanking off his helmet, and Sakura was again taken aback by his beauty. There was no other word for it.

"Yes? What's wrong?"

_Just ask her: who do you like? Who do you want? Ask her if she is in love with Naruto. Ask her if she is in love with Sai or Shikamaru. Just do it._

"…I don't want to go. You should go by yourself," he blurted instead, turning away from her on his heel.

"…What? Why? Don't you want to find out what Shikamaru knows?"

Sasuke took a few steps away, his heart pounding. His thoughts were turbulent; he couldn't pick even one out of the mess. He rubbed his forehead, exhaling. Jealousy, regret, anger, resentment, frustration, lust, and perhaps, something like love, permeated his thoughts. He turned around again to face Sakura. She was standing there, looking confused and a little wounded. In that moment, he felt so much desire and hatred in his very veins that he wanted to scream. How had pathetic, weak little Haruno Sakura turned into this woman? And yet, in her eyes, so wide and innocent, he saw that same little girl, and he felt so confronted by his own poor actions, all of the things he had done wrong with his life, that he couldn't bear it. Her lips were the same pink as her hair, and it drove him wild. But then, her jade eyes were the same as they had been so many years ago: hopeful, pleading, scared, hesitant. Instead of wanting to turn away like he had before, he was transfixed. He had never been so moved by such a sight: this plain girl was radiant, beautiful. How? How had he not seen it before?

"Sasuke?" she asked again, and while he wished for the -kun she used to attach to it so automatically, he also was pleased with how mature she sounded, how grown-up, how independent. And now she was beginning to look pissed off, and that was somehow attractive too. She put her hands on her slim hips, beginning to stomp towards him, glowering, her boots splashing against the shallow sheet of salt water. He couldn't move, he was truly captivated by the sight of her. In her eyes, he saw so much of what she had been and who she had become, and yet he also saw something that subtly begged remorse of him. She didn't realize she made him feel guilty; she didn't intend it, he knew. "Sasuke, you can't just keep acting weird-"

He grabbed her hands, halting her in her tracks. She struggled but could not get out of his grip.

"If I were Shikamaru I wouldn't want to see me," he said, still clutching her hands. Sakura stopped struggling abruptly, staring at him in shock. "You go in and talk with him."

Sakura gaped at Sasuke. He was being so reasonable, it was shocking to her. She was also feeling her cheeks heat up at such close contact with him, but decided to try and put that away for now.

"….I guess you're right," she conceded finally, slumping slightly. "I just wish I knew what the _hell_ happened here between him and I."

_Me too,_ Sasuke thought vehemently, the jealousy returning swiftly. All too soon, he let go of her hands.

"I'll go visit my parents while you do that. Message me when you're done," he replied. He turned to his hovercycle and picked up his helmet, but was startled by Sakura throwing her arms around his waist from behind him.

"I'm proud of you," she whispered against his back. The feeling of her fingertips so close to his waistband compounded with her voice against his shirt sent chills through him. He had to leave her, now.

"Thanks," he said shortly, putting his helmet on so she couldn't see his blush. "Good luck." Before she could say anything more, he was on his hovercycle, flying away fast.

The feeling of being so close to him reminded Sakura of the night before, and it took her a moment to catch her breath. Pressing her hand to her chest over her heart, she looked down, letting out a sigh.

Why was Sasuke always so unbearably close, yet lightyears away?

She turned back to her hoverboard, having calmed down, and began searching for these glass tunnels. In the distance she could see forest, but before that, something glinting brightly in the sun. As she drew closer, the sight took her breath away, and she wished Sasuek were here to see it. _Maybe some other time I'll take him back,_ she thought, speeding forward.

They were magnificent. Irregular, they looked like they had been formed by an explosion, their bubbling and tumultuous surfaces sparkling and leaving colorful patterns on the salty sand. She slowed to a stop and left her hoverboard near the entrance, looking down the tunnel. Inside it was even more breathtaking. Shikamaru had instructed her to simply go straight, so she followed the wall of the tunnels. After it had descended underground, they were lit by various purple halogen lights, setting off the prismatic qualities of the walls. Soon, more natural lighting filled the tunnel, and she came upon a gleaming steel vestibule. As soon as she entered, the wall seemed to lose a section, and she realized it was a sliding door that was nearly invisible, it was so well designed. Shikamaru strolled into the vestibule. He was wearing a black long sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and dark green cargo pants haphazardly tucked into combat boots. He had retained the top knot, and even the earrings.

….And damn, he was even sexier here. Immediately, she flushed hotly as his dark gaze rested on her.

"I guess Uchiha is a no-show," he commented, shoving his hands in the pockets of his pants. He had dog tags on a chain on his neck and they jingled as he turned away. "Follow me."

He seemed so cold that Sakura felt ashamed-even though she hadn't really done anything. Hastily following him inside, she jumped in surprise when the door slammed shut behind her.

In this room were dozens of people at different enormous glowing monitors, studying them and talking amongst each other, wearing headsets. Somehow Sakura couldn't picture shy little Lila in such an environment.

"I can't believe Lila worked here," Sakura commented as she followed Shikamaru, weaving in and out of groups of people. He glanced back with a chuckle.

"Yeah, no one can. She did pretty well though. Smart kid. Here we are," he said, gesturing to another piece of wall that suddenly became a door. Inside was a small, cramped room with one wall seemingly emitting light, though upon closer inspection there were glowing drawings on it, accompanied by scrawled writing. There was a large desk with a computer and files on it, and of course, an ashtray. An electronic plaque on his desk read "President of Senior Intelligence Team" in blue letters, and Sakura was impressed. Shikamaru sat on the edge of his desk and lit a cigarette. Looking up, Sakura noticed that the ceiling above his desk was black from smoke and so was the ceiling above that light board with the writing on it.

"So. Hyuuga defection," Shikamaru began after a long drag. "Chouji told me about the necklace."

Sakura leaned against the wall, nodding.

"And, we did a mission in the Elithraelaen caves, and found that symbol there. And it's on Neji's forehead."

Shikamaru sighed, closing his eyes in thought.

"You haven't told Itachi about the necklace?"

"Only you, Neji, Chouji, and me and Sasuke know about it."

Shikamaru nodded.

"That's for the best." He rifled through his files and procured a thick folder. "I think we should leave Itachi out of the matter, and this is why. Don't bother looking through it, it's just evidence that he is in communication with the emperor's daughter."

"I know; I delivered a letter to her for him."

"And you didn't tell me?" Shikamaru scoffed. "Damn. What did the letter say?" he paused, with a knowing stare at her. "You didn't look through it," he confirmed slowly. Sakura was amazed at how quickly he had figured it out, and was once again struck by his brilliance. And his level of brilliance was attractive. Her cheeks warmed again and she looked at her boots. "You're too fucking honest, Sakura. Itachi's communication with Hinata is _bad._"

"Itachi's a good man," Sakura burst out. Shikamaru shook his head, smirking.

"For how honest you are, Itachi is that dishonest. He's not a bad guy, he's just…well, let's just say he is under a lot of pressure from higher-ups. And he has known weaknesses. And they can very easily be used against him," Shikamaru explained. Sakura gasped.

"His family," she murmured. Shikamaru nodded.

"There we go. Now you're getting it. As we've seen in the past, Itachi will do anything to protect his little brother and mother. But his father is the issue. I have reason to believe his dad isn't out of the whole politics game yet, and that's giving Itachi issues, because he and his dad are turning out to be on very different sides."

"Does he know his dad is on a different side? What are these sides of?"

"I don't think he knows yet. Or if he does, it's recent. I was monitoring him for a while, but other stuff-like that spider robot-cropped up and now I'm flooded with other crap."

"I'll monitor him," she said automatically.

"Perfect."

Tension-filled silence passed between them. Their eyes met, but they each looked away hastily.

"Look… I'm sorry for everything," Sakura finally said. When she looked up, Shikamaru was frowning, staring at the opposing wall, smoke trailing upward from his cigarette.

"Yeah. I'm sorry too." He seemed about to say more. Sakura raised her eyebrows at him and he sighed. "Sakura, we were together for six years. Six years is a lot of time for teenagers. If you can't understand why I'm upset, then you're just as insensitive as Sasuke."

_Six years…_ She thought of Sasuke already having been gone for five years from her life, and tears filled her eyes. She didn't want to cry in front of Shikamaru-she didn't want to be the crying type. Yet she couldn't possibly convey to him how much she understood how he felt. Six years meant a world of difference in teenhood-even _one_ year was wildly different from the next. When she felt the urge to cry had subsided, she looked up again, and Shikamaru was staring at her, his jaw set, his cigarette between his fingers.

"I really am sorry," she said quietly. His jaw relaxed and he laughed.

"I guess I hold a grudge longer than I thought. Apology accepted."

She smiled at him and he hesitantly matched her smile with his own. "So…how is Sas-gay-whoops, I meant Sasuke. How is he these days?"

Sakura laughed at his joke hard.

"He's his usual anal-retentive, sulky, bratty self," she replied with humor, and was pleased when Shikamaru too laughed an honest laugh.

Maybe they could be friends again.

* * *

Sasuke rode towards his parents' home, his heart in turmoil. He didn't like the idea of letting Sakura in exclusively Shikamaru's presence, but hopefully she wouldn't act on her attraction to Shikamaru. Deciding to put that particular worry aside, he parked the hovercycle in front of the house by the sea, suddenly filled with peace. His mother was out on the deck, reading, and when she saw him she waved down to him. He ran inside, meeting her just as she was coming down the stairs.

"Sasuke! What a lovely surprise," she greeted, hugging him tightly. "What brings you here?"

Sasuke finally forced himself to pull away from his mother's thin arms.

"Had a mission and thought I'd drop by on my way back," he explained offhandedly, following her into the bright kitchen. He wasn't surprised to see how spotless the house was-his parents had both been absurdly clean. Fondly he recalled his mother's battles with Itachi to get him to keep his room some semblance of neat.

"Have some dinner. Your father's out to Fleuria and won't be back. I'm so happy you stopped by," she gushed. Sasuke watched her bustle around the kitchen and felt like he had been stabbed. The thought of his mother being lonely was _terrible._ He took a seat at the kitchen table as she heated things on the stove, humming to herself. She had set out a glass and a pitcher of what he assumed was some kind of juice, so he helped himself, feeling all of his troubles melt away. How did mothers have the power to do that? She turned around suddenly, a wooden spoon in hand. "Babies?"

He almost choked on his juice. He shook his head.

"No babies."

"Poo. I was hoping. I was shopping in Verda Linda, and saw the _most darling_ little infant pajama set," she sighed as she stirred something. "What's the point of being married if you aren't having babies?" she seemed to not be addressing him in particular. However, Sasuke immediately had a response.

"A promise that they'll never leave your side," he said easily without realizing that was how he had felt. The thought of Sakura with Shikamaru, or Sai, or Naruto, resurfaced and he chugged his drink, forcing himself to not think of it. Mikoto studied him carefully.

"Is Sakura cheating on you or something? That little-"

"She would never." And deep down, he knew those words were true. This calmed him until he remembered that they hadn't gotten married of their own volition, and if Sakura had feelings for someone else, it wouldn't be considered wrong. All of his tumultuous feelings came back. Mikoto sighed.

"Marriage is hard," she said, returning to stirring. "I was worried that you were rushing into things. I mean, marrying at twenty three! It seems so young. But lately, I've noticed something…oh, I don't know, _different_ about you. You're so much more open with your affection. I can't help but wonder if that's Sakura's doing…"

They ate dinner in pleasant silence, interrupted when Sakura messaged to tell him she was on her way. Mikoto insisted she pack some food for Sakura, and Sasuke went to meet her halfway so they could return together.

"I have so much to tell you," Sakura burst out when they met each other not too far from the Uchiha household. "But I think we should discuss it later. Being gone so long will be suspicious."

He agreed and they hurried back to the academy. Luckily, no one questioned them about where they had been, and they were able to return to the apartment easily.

"Well?" Sasuke asked, removing the top jacket of his uniform. He had been dying to get some inkling of what Sakura had thought of Shikamaru, but to his relief, she didn't seem at all flustered from the meeting. She sat on the bed, removing her boots and socks, and Sasuke noted her calves and ankles. She had beautiful legs. He turned away, trying to appear like he was merely pacing.

"He thinks that Itachi is under pressure from higher ups, and that your dad is on a different side than him, though Shikamaru can't tell what is causing this trouble, and he thinks that Hanabi is behind the necklace, and he thinks that Naruto is more involved with Hinata, and-"

"Slow down. My dad? What?" Sasuke demanded, forgetting Sakura's legs. Panic rose within him. Sakura nodded.

"I know. We need to figure out what this is before this gets any worse. Shikamaru was happy we hadn't told Itachi of the necklace. He doesn't know what Itachi's being pressured to do, but for a while, he was secretly surveying Itachi and trying to gather clues, and he's suspicious of Itachi. So I volunteered to monitor him, but you can help, since you know him better. He thinks that the people pressuring Itachi to do something might…use his greatest weakness…" she faltered here at the look of sheer terror on Sasuke's face. He was pale, his eyes wide. She stood, knowing he knew what she meant, and put her arms around him, though Sasuke was unresponsive. She held him tighter, desperate to comfort him. With her ear against his chest, she could hear his heart pounding wildly. "This is your chance," she whispered.

"…I will stop at nothing to save my parents this time," he vowed darkly, though there was a revealing tremor in his voice. Sakura looked up at him.

"Come on, let's sit down and absorb all this," she said soothingly. "Then we'll figure out our next move." She led him to the bed, but instead of sitting on it, he crawled onto it, dropping face down into the pillow. He felt like his heart might explode, and he was afraid to let his panic show in front of Sakura. He felt her place her hand on his back, and it had as calming an effect as being at his parents' house had. "You can save them. And remember, this is just a guess. It might not be true," she continued, tracing small circles with her fingertips on Sasuke's back. Slowly, she could see his muscles relax. He rolled over, his head still on the pillow.

"…Sorry about that," he said quickly. Sakura smiled kindly at him, and he was reminded of the doting girl he had once known. Yet it felt different. She wasn't needlessly obsessing over him: she was trying to help him. He had an overwhelming urge to pull her down and kiss her. Instead he clenched the sheets in his fists. Sakura was leaning on one arm next to him, and seeing her bare legs again made him think of kissing them. He met her eyes and they stared at each other.

"It's fine," she murmured, and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "It was awkward with Shikamaru at first, but I think I began to smooth things out between us," she said, looking away. The light outside was dimming, making the lamps they had on seem more striking in the room. They cast a warm glow over Sakura and the bedsheets around her. "And the glass tunnels were amazing. You have to see them sometime," she added.

"Yeah." His voice sounded hoarse.

Awkwardness had settled between them. Things had started off awkward when they had been thrown into this world, then a strange sort of companionship had developed, and this tension had returned. But it wasn't the same awkwardness, was it? Sasuke sat up, recalling the events from their journey to the caves. "What was that dream about?"

Sakura froze. She had told Sasuke it was about him, she knew, but she was hoping he had forgotten. She blushed and turned further away, letting her hair hide her face. She traced the pattern on the sheets with a finger.

"Just…memories," she lied.

He sat up, resting his arms on his bent knees. His heart began to pound again.

"Did you ever…" he began hesitantly. He needed to know this. It was driving him crazy. He could admit it had been in the back of his mind since they had gotten here and he had found those condoms. "…Did you ever…" he swallowed. Sakura began to look at him warily, her hair still hiding her face. "Are you…" He was leaning forward and only realized it when he was inches away from her face.

She was afraid to speak. How many times in the past few days had they been like this, so close to something? She found Sai and Shikamaru both attractive, but being close to them didn't make her feel like _this._ It was beyond flustered, taking to a strange mix of powerful desire and confusion and hope and fear-so much fear. It was like standing on the edge of a void, looking into the darkness that was what they _could_ be. She wanted to jump into it, to take the proverbial plunge, but she was scared. No, more like _terrified. _Sasuke had only ever rejected her. Making the first move this time would most likely lead to heartbreak.

"When I first saw Karin, I was so hurt, and jealous, and…ashamed of myself. I felt like a little girl next to her," Sakura whispered, searching Sasuke's face for a reaction to her words. "I felt like you had officially written me off."

"Karin was the little girl, not you."

What did this mean? She ached to know.

"What was she?" she hadn't meant to ask this. Yet here it was, out in the open.

"A teammate," he replied honestly. Sakura's blood pounded in her ears as she licked her lips before speaking again.

"And what was I?"

He paused for too long. She was about to turn away when he spoke.

"Sakura."

She froze. There was so much warmth from his eyes that she hadn't expected.

"Yes?"

"No, that's what you were. You were Sakura."

He seemed to be implying something, but it was too difficult to examine it without raising her hopes. She bit her lip, still fearful.

"Even when you tried to kill me just as you tried to kill her?"

She heard Sasuke draw in a breath sharply. She waited to hear something about how she couldn't understand him, but it never came.

"I shouldn't have done any of that," he began, "but I would never have been able to bring myself to kill you. Even then."

She hadn't wanted it but tears were sliding down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry I'm crying," she burst out, her voice thick with tears. "I know I shouldn't, it's just-"

When she went to wipe her eyes, she felt Sasuke move her hand away, his thumb rubbing under her eyes almost reverently. She expected him to pull away after that, but he moved his hand into her hair. His fingertips against her skin was both soothing and exciting, and abruptly her tears stopped.

"You were so genuine in your feelings," he said, moving his hand away. His heart was pounding and he wondered if she could hear it. "I have never met anybody, besides Naruto, who is honest and open to such a degree. You just put your feelings out there, unafraid of what happens to them."

"I'm not unafraid. It's terrifying," she corrected. "But I thought, if you didn't know how I felt…" she trailed off.

"I wish I were more like that," Sasuke said darkly, looking down. "My new teammates could never replace team seven."

"Did you have feelings for Karin?" She knew it was such a damning question, because it suggested she still loved him. Their eyes met again and Sasuke pressed his lips together.

"I didn't have feelings for anyone at that point," he confessed. "It was a part of life that was completely alien to me."

And yet now he felt ashamed for telling her that, because now she knew he had never been with anybody. _And she probably has at least had a boyfriend…_ Sakura seemed saddened by his confession.

"Well, I guess that was for the best," she said, her voice quaky, and she began to get off the bed, but Sasuke reached out and grasped her arm, stopping her. She lost her balance and toppled backwards onto the bed. "What the hell, Sasuke!"

"Who was your first?" he demanded, and as soon as he had said it he wished dearly to take it back. It was too late now, however. Sakura's eyes were wide as she hastily sat up, kneeling and staring at him.

"What do you mean?" her cheeks were pink and it infuriated him.

"Just answer me," he ordered. Sakura glared.

"You can't just _ask_ people that," she said, clearly outraged. "That is _none_ of your business!"

"Who was it," he asked under his breath. Sakura swallowed, pressing her lips together.

"…No one. There was never anyone," she replied, looking away again. Relief flooded Sasuke but Sakura looked back at him.

"Who was yours?"

"No one. Just like you."

She could have demanded to know why he wanted to know such a thing. She could have been angry-in fact, she _should_ have been angry. She should have just left the room or smacked him after that question.

So why was she tackling him onto the bed?

"Agh! Sakura!" Sasuke yelled as Sakura slammed into him. They became a tangled mess of arms and legs, and toppled off the bed, landing on the floor. Sakura reached up, digging her fingers into Sasuke's sides. "Ah-stop-no!"

"You are ticklish," she declared with delight, straddling Sasuke and tickling him. He twitched, trying to escape.

"N-no! I'm not!" he said indignantly, ruined by his laughs in between words.

"Damn. You guys start _early,_" Kakashi drawled and both Sakura and Sasuke froze, slowly turning their heads to see that the door was sliding open to reveal the silver-haired man.

Sakura blushed. It did look incriminating: she was straddling Sasuke in just her uniform skirt and undershirt, and the skirt had ridden up fairly high, exposing the better part of her thighs. Sasuke was wearing pants and his tee shirt, but his hair was wild and he was blushing. Worst of all, they were both gasping for breath. "Meeting in ten," he said with a smirk, closing the door.

* * *

please review!


	14. 13: Sing for Absolution

Isekai

Author's Note: I know many of you do not read these notes (I don't usually), but for those of you that do, I'll keep this brief: I have exciting news. I have been terminally ill for a few years now but finally am receiving radiation in a few weeks' time, and within three to six months will be back to my old energetic self. This illness has really taken a toll on my gpa, exercise, creativity, and general happiness. I was concerned that this story would be the last thing I'd ever write, but it looks like I'll be around for a good long time :)

ALSO: This chapter is short but I wanted it to stand neatly on its own. It is very much a transitional chapter. I am worried it is happening too soon, but we will see what you guys think. Please review!

Chapter Thirteen: Sing for Absolution

Sakura couldn't fall asleep. She lay awake, tossing and turning, the events of the day tumultuous like storm clouds in her mind. It wasn't that she was unhappy-more like she was _confused._ Six years with anyone would be a long time, and she was dying to know what had passed between her and Shikamaru. She rolled over to stare at Sasuke's sleeping form, his back partially to her. _Even if Shikamaru and I had gotten together when we were kids, I'd have to have left him abruptly for Sasuke to make marriage believable._ She tried to imagine how things might have played out, and she was ashamed to admit that it was all too easy to see: her settling for Shikamaru, believing he was Mr. Right, only to be swept off her feet by Sasuke without warning and without something she craved in her life: control.

Her attraction to Sasuke was undeniable and had always been uncontrollable. Sakura was meticulous. She appreciated the beauty of order and organization. Her living space was clean, and her belongings were always arranged just-so. Sasuke's presence in her life was a wild-card. She could never predict how Sasuke might make her feel. He ran hot and cold, and showed glimpses of his inner workings at random intervals that were difficult to keep up with.

_It's like playing with fire. And somehow, even though I'm scared of fire, it's like he makes me a pyromaniac._

How fitting that one of his favorite ninjutsu had always been chidori, a violent fire-based attack. Everything went up in flames around Sasuke proverbially. He scared her. Whenever she returned to the dark consideration that he was a murderer, chills ran up her spine. And yet looking more closely, in the center of those orange flames, was a flicker of blue: of peace, of melancholy, of hidden pain.

She knew everyone would say she was weak for thinking such things. They'd attribute it to her old crush on him, if they ever returned to Konoha. But she had truly hated him until she had come to see the flickers of the old Sasuke in the past few days-or no, rather, she had seen facets of a new Sasuke, of one who had seen far more than she or Naruto or even Kakashi could imagine. What had he been through? What were the details of his experiences with Orochimaru that gave him night terrors? What had his final moments with his beloved and hated brother been like?

Sakura rose from the bed and began wandering the halls of the academy, filled with an unbearable sense of melancholy. It was the wee hours of the morning and no one was awake it seemed, so she went to the training center, which was at least pretty. When she tired of that area, she left the academy to sit on the docks. Part of her secretly hoped Sasuke would come find her like this, but for once he had seemed to be sleeping soundly. He probably wouldn't think to look for her here anyway.

She dipped her legs into the water. The night was surprisingly humid and the water was refreshing. She removed her sweatpants, assuring herself that no one would come by at this time of night, leaving herself in just her tee shirt and underwear so she could dangle her legs into the water.

* * *

Sasuke woke up and quickly realized Sakura was missing. Fumbling for the light, he sat up, blinking as his eyes swiftly adjusted to the light. Somehow he could feel she was not in the apartment. He walked to the balcony and spotted her at the docks, just as he had guessed. _What is she doing awake and out there? _Still half-asleep, he stumbled out of the academy and to the docks, rubbing his eyes, just in time to see her rising. Her figure was silhouetted by the moonlight, and he watched as she slid off her sweatpants and folded them neatly beside her. _I should have announced myself. Now I'm just acting weird, _ he berated himself, though he found himself mesmerized by the outline of her form, giving more resolution to her shape than he had ever seen. _I should leave now._ But what if she caught him walking away? He might as well pretend he had seen nothing and just arrived. He let the door slam shut and walked towards Sakura, making her startle slightly.

"What are you doing awake?" he called, under the guise of not knowing she was sitting in her underwear. Her head whipped around, her pink locks following, and as he approached, he saw she was blushing.

"Just-um, couldn't sleep," she stammered, snatching her sweatpants and hastily covering her thighs with them. "This looks weird. I just felt really warm," she added, gesturing to her naked legs now covered haphazardly with her sweatpants. He could still see the edge of her underwear. It was minty green with a hint of lace, and his mouth went dry. The only viable way to diffuse the awkwardness of the situation was to act like he was unflustered by her state of dress, so he casually settled down next to her.

"It is humid," he agreed, rolling up the legs of his sleeping pants and dipping his feet in the water. "When I…well, the other day, I noticed sharks in this water, so you might want to be careful."

Sakura yanked her legs out of the water, forgetting that she was partially naked, and gasped.

"Sharks?" In her haste she had revealed much of her legs and hips. His hands twitched with the subconscious desire to grab onto her hips and he looked away. "Yikes. Thanks for the tip."

Water was running in rivulets down from her calves onto the wood, making pattering noises. Her wet shins looked pretty in the moonlight, gleaming white.

They sat in silence, Sasuke's fists balled as he begged himself to not act on his desires. Perhaps it was because he was still barely awake that he felt so little control over his emotions and urges. There was not an easy answer to the problem.

"I can't believe we've been here for a week," Sakura murmured. Sasuke looked over, watching as the wind played with the ends of her short hair, blowing around her smooth lips the same pink as her hair. How had he not noticed Sakura's beauty when they had first gotten to this world? Now it was overwhelming. "Do you still wish you were back in our own world?"

Sasuke didn't have to think about that one at all. His pride told him to say "yes" because his sole _function_ in their own world was to destroy Konoha, and he was not fulfilling it. And yet he knew there was nothing left for him in Konoha. But here…

"No," he finally replied, unable to look into her eyes. He knew she was surprised by his answer, but it was the honest truth. "I have a family here. I have a life here, one that isn't driven by hatred. I have companionship-real companionship."

How could he explain to her how she made him feel? He felt like he was growing again. _This must be how the trees and flowers feel after winter. Like they have a new chance._ Sakura herself was a giver of life, of vitality. How could he tell her that without scaring her away?

"What will you do if we go back?"

"Turn myself in."

"You'll be executed."

"I know."

Once again silence settled around them and it was a heavy thing. Sakura felt so conflicted: she was so proud of Sasuke for having come so far emotionally, and yet, the idea of his execution made her feel hopeless. If Sasuke was gone then what was there to live for? She had always felt that way but never examined it. How could she explain such a thing to him?

"If you are sentenced to execution, I'll do everything in my power to save you."

They both knew there was not much she could do to stop him from being executed. Everyone else wanted him dead. She looked back at him. "I still feel devoted to you, even though things are so different now," she began hesitantly. Sasuke's heart began to pound: what did she mean by this? Was she telling him she loved him still? "You meant more than everything to me when we were genin. I can't just give up someone that changed my life so radically."

It was the past tense that killed him. He couldn't bear to look at her now. "But if we keep remaining here, in this world…" she paused, drawing circles on the wood with her fingertips. "…then, I say we make the most of it. We don't know when we'll get back-we don't even know _if_ we'll ever get back. If and when we do return, I will probably lose you. We don't have much to return to at this point."

She was leading up to an inevitable point: sooner or later, they were going to have to make long-term decisions. "If this is permanent…do you want to look into separation or divorce?"

He could hear the tremor in her voice. Everything in him screamed _no!_ He had no desire for such things. He looked at Sakura, really _looked _at her, and saw everything he had ever wanted: acceptance, love, friendship…a bond. And, from the looks of it, a virtually indestructible bond. How could he ever reject something so whole and complete?

"My mother wants children," was all he could say. The thought of creating life with Sakura made anxiety and hope drum up within him. Sakura looked frightened and it broke his heart.

"What are you saying, Sasuke?"

He slumped forward, looking away from her. His hands shook with nervousness so he clenched them again, gritting his teeth.

"What do you _think_ I'm saying, Sakura?"

It was a penultimate moment between them: they had reached the point of no return. Before them was a vast expanse of what was possible, behind them was an unstable and hesitant friendship. Once they crossed this line, it would be damn near impossible to return again.

"I'm scared to make a guess."

And he was scared to tell her the plain truth. It seemed they were stuck. Pendulously balancing on that line was too painful. In such close constant quarters, complete honesty and companionship were absolutely necessary for their survival. They couldn't operate independent of each other here in this world. They both knew that. They were stranded and it was silly to pretend they'd be fine without each other.

"Try anyway," he murmured, their eyes locked. Without explicit consent or agreement, each moved forward. As Sasuke reached to move Sakura's sweatpants from her lap, she moved forward, letting them fall away, one hem dangling in the water. Neither cared. They edged toward each other and were unable to stop the course they had now embarked on. With Sakura's delicate shoulder under his hand, he gently pressed her down, climbing over her, relishing the feel of her fingertips against his scalp. The tips of their noses brushed and Sakura could no longer actively process everything that was happening. All she knew was that Sasuke was pressing her against the dock with his own body and their mouths were millimeters apart. Desire flooded her as she recalled her dream, though this was so much better and so much more pleasurable. Abandoning any hope of rational thought, she pulled Sasuke's head down, pressing her lips against his.

It was as though a dam had burst. He ran his hand along her much-desired upper thigh, closing his eyes and sinking into the kiss-a kiss so much more powerful and sensual than any they had shared before. Feeling her soft, restrained curves against him sent him reeling and he only pressed harder, relishing the cry of surprise that came from her mouth, her lips still captured in his.

As he felt her hands moving from his hair to his neck to his shoulders, he felt his self-control slipping more and more. He got lost in the sensation of their bodies against each other, feeling her leg circle his lower back more tightly. Her lips were warmth, soft, and wet, and the lack of friction felt more incredible than he had anticipated.

He wanted her, though he knew it was too soon. He barely tried to stop himself from sliding her tee shirt off one shoulder, revealing the thin strap of a bra that matched her panties. Desire spiked in him and he ran his lips upon her clavicle and shoulder. He had no idea why he had had the urge to do that, but her skin tasted sweet and he couldn't regret such a forward motion.

When he felt her hips dig into his, he wanted to beg her to stop and keep going at the same time. When finally they broke for air, Sasuke rolled off of Sakura, feeling embarrassed and yet anticipating her reaction. They panted, catching their breath, and now it was even more difficult to keep his hands off of Sakura. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were sparkling. Without much effort to stop himself, he returned to her body, and Sakura felt like she was on top of the world. What little thought she had was that Sasuke was kissing her, and it wasn't just any old kiss. It was passionate: it was a kiss of desire.

And she was returning the kiss with equal ardor, until it occurred to her that if it had been anyone else, she might have turned him down. He had kissed her without even asking, dammit! Then again, there was something sexy about it, and she only ground her hips harder into him, pleased when she heard a barely audible groan from Sasuke. They were surrounded by the gentle lapping of waves as they kissed, and Sakura could hardly bear how _perfect_ it was. When his tongue pressed against her lips, requesting entry, she allowed automatically. _Too bad I have no ability to at least sort of play 'hard-to-get.' _But she didn't want to hold out anyway. She had been dreaming of a moment like this since she had first met Sasuke. Granted her ten-year-old fantasies had involved less grinding and tongue, but they were pretty similar.

Suddenly, Sasuke pulled away. He was flushed and she was disarmed by how sexy he looked. He sat up and away from her, raking a hand through his hair. In any other situation she might have felt rejected, but somehow she felt he, like her, was feeling overcome with desire. She rose from the docks to sit next to him, trying to get a look at his face to see if it gave away anything of his feelings. She tried to catch her breath. Sasuke tried not to notice how attractively her chest heaved as she gasped for air.

"What are we going to do about that?" she asked, suddenly beginning to feel shy. It was a happy feeling of shyness, however.

"…It's best if we ignore it for now," Sasuke replied, sounding strained. It confirmed her suspicions that he too was feeling the urge to go further, and it warmed her all over again. She should have been offended by his words, but she knew what he meant by them. It was too soon to deal with what had just occurred, even though in truth they had been ignoring something painfully obvious to them and everyone around them: they had sexual tension, and they had it big time. It had exploded over the past few days into something amorphous and Sakura didn't feel they had spent enough time together to fairly deal with it. When she had asked him if he wanted a divorce, it had been for his sake, though it looked as though a divorce or separation wouldn't be necessary. There was also the fact that if they developed something so soon and were thrown back into their world directly after, it would be painful.

"Maybe…we should wait another week. Then we can see where things stand," Sakura finally suggested. Their breathing had returned to normal now and they sat, observing the ocean together. "I am scared," she confessed, though she felt no need to elaborate on why. She knew he would understand. Sasuke understood the fear of uncertainty and possible hurt in the future more than anyone else.

"Me too."

Even so, she slid her hand slyly to cover his, lacing some of their fingers together. Sasuke looked down at their intertwined hands, but said nothing, and a comfortable peace settled over them. What would happen would happen in due time.


	15. 14: Just Can't Get Enough

Isekai

IMPORTANT: Thank you all SO MUCH for your lovely reviews and messages. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the kind words and thoughts. My heart was lifted every time I checked my inbox and saw the new reviews. Anyway, onto writing matters: This chapter is very…_different, _in content, and might be a little confusing. Just to clarify, this chapter takes place in the Isekai world, six or seven years before the arrival of Sasuke and Sakura. It's very important to the plot. Also, some new potential pairings are introduced. Anyway, hope you guys like it!

Chapter Fourteen: Just Can't Get Enough

It was raining outside. Sasori took one last look out the tiny window before swiping the printed curtains shut with a flourish. Damned weather; it was ruining his plans for the day. With an unselfconscious grace, he donned his uniform-his uniform consisting of a black sleeveless turtleneck, black leather jacket, black pants, and more importantly, a black mask to hide his hair which stood out notably.

"Sasori, are you ready?" the voice, that screeching voice, drew him from his pondering and he sighed, creaking open his bedroom door. Karin, his latest fledgling, was waiting on the other side, red hair sticking out of her mask and her uniform drawn a little too tightly for sensibility. Karin had originally been given a fake name by his boss but she had repeatedly failed to respond to it; Karin would remain Karin forever.

As they walked down the hall, Karin banged on the other doors like a child. She was surprisingly bright, but chose to act misleadingly stupid. It was an effective facade that threw off everyone the girl met. Suigetsu, another of their group, seemed to ooze out of his room. Suigetsu moved like water and was a valuable man to have. There were other mercenaries, but for now, Sasori decided to drag Karin and Suigetsu along with him. Their mission was to get ahold of a man named Sasuke Uchiha; the reasoning was unclear but Sasori felt certain he'd figure it out soon. His boss had intricate plans, but Sasori was smart…smarter than his boss, smarter than Karin-smarter than all these idiots.

"Where are we going?" Karin was whining again, and Sasori ignored her successfully. An argument ensued between Suigetsu and Karin as they proceeded to their aircraft; it was a sleek silver ship that Sasori himself had designed, many years ago. In an abstracted shape of a soaring bird, it was highly efficient and glinted in such a way in the sunlight that it was hard to spot in a sunny sky. It was one of his works of art that Sasori remained proud of: most of his art he felt he could improve upon, but this ship was the pinnacle of his work. It was almost depressing to think that it was unlikely he'd ever create something more perfect than this ship.

"We're going to Fleuria," Sasori said simply after they were airborne. As they navigated over the ocean, he reflected on the possibilities of what this mission might accomplish. Sasuke Uchiha was the seventeen year old brother of Itachi Uchiha, a man who had recently caused a significant amount of damage to the Chun Wu army and parts of northern Elithrael. But what was the advantage of stealing his little brother? A hostage? A hostage didn't make sense to him. Itachi had been acting under orders; he had little control of his actions. It'd make more sense to act directly upon whoever gave Itachi orders, which was most likely the head of the academy.

Sasuke had been reported as being on a mission in the Fleurian mountain range. As they swept closer to Fleuria's gleaming cityscape, Sasori became sad. The stupid brat didn't even know what was about to hit him, that was for sure. Sasori had surveilled Sasuke a few times; stealing security tapes from the Gaulin Academy was child's play. Sasuke seemed like the typical arrogant seventeen year old boy; so damn sure of his place in the world. He didn't yet know what kind of pain could befall a person. He was innocent and stupid. He didn't deserve to be thrown into such a political storm.

"Fleurian mountain range? What the hell?" Suigetsu asked, poking his head into the cockpit.

"We're paying a visit to some kid named Sasuke. The orders are to take him down and interrogate him for information on his brother's doings."

"…he's Itachi's little brother then." Suigetsu seemed to also grasp the sadness of the situation. Most Gaulin students enrolled as a way to get a headstart on a career; unless they stayed on as soldier and instructors, they usually didn't get too involved out on the field. This mission that this kid was on was just some stupid little mission. He hadn't signed up for death. They'd probably have to kill this Sasuke after they had interrogated him, and he had done nothing but be of the same family as Itachi.

It wasn't too hard to find the Gaulin cadets, who were climbing up the side of the mountain, having abandoned their transports at the base. The Fleurian mountains were rocky and snowy, with little vegetation because of the icy temperatures. They were not fun to climb, and Sasori could tell the cadets were having a hard time of making their way up the mountain.

"Karin. Suigetsu." Karin joined the two men in the cockpit. "We're going to dock on the other side of the mountain and ambush the students. Do whatever you have to with the others; our goal is to take Sasuke Uchiha as prisoner." Sasori fished a set of photos of their target from his pocket and tossed them behind him at Karin and Suigetsu. They rifled through them.

"Wow. He's beautiful. We…we don't have to _kill_ him, do we?" Karin asked, unusually quiet. Sasori said nothing as he glided around to the other side of the mountain. He flinched when the sun glinted in a way off of his ship and made a flash, but none of the students seemed to notice, except for Sasuke, who looked up briefly, squinting. But Sasori was already on the other side of the mountain.

They wedged the ship beneath a jagged rock that jutted out from the face of the mountain; melting snow ran off, spilling over the edge, creating a frigid shield of water that surrounded them.

"Remember our names. I'm Ennir. Suigetsu?"

"Madival," the young man replied, sliding his mask over his face.

"Karin?"

"Pelawen." Luckily Karin was now in business-mode and had already tucked her fiery hair completely underneath her mask. They set forth, their weapons at the ready, and began weaving through the rocks and bits of trees, around the mountain face. They were agile and coordinated; they'd been trained for these things and so they reached their target and his companions in a matter of minutes.

Sasuke was leading a few other cadets up the side of the mountain, as they trailed behind him, their faces ruddy from overexertion. _They're just babies, _Sasori thought to himself as he slid behind a large rock, double checking his mask. Karin and Suigetsu were the same age as these cadets, but they had led lives full of torture and loss. They were hardened and, despite their flagrant personalities, were inwardly emotionless and cold.

"Let's go," he murmured, and Karin and Suigetsu slid forth like well-oiled machines. Suigetsu tossed a smoke bomb into the group of climbing cadets and the idiots let out surprised shrieks.

"Call the transport," one of them cried out as they dispersed, skittering away from the smoke. Sasori moved forth. He knew he could count on Suigetsu and Karin to take care of the other cadets, and sure enough, he heard cries and clashes of metal around him.

"Ennir, take him out," Suigetsu yelled. Their fake names were useful for these kinds of things, and Sasori sprang into the cloud of smoke. Sasuke had remained in the cloud, his weapon drawn, waiting for the smoke to clear, and Sasori had to admit that he was impressed with Sasuke's tactical capabilities. Unfortunately, they weren't impressive enough.

"Sasuke," Sasori greeted. The pleasantry caught the youngest Uchiha off-guard and he hesitated a beat too long. Sasori stepped closer, hitting Sasuke with one of his nunchaku. Sasuke hesitated no longer and dove onto Sasori, causing them to tumble downwards. Sasuke drew a sword and Sasori drew his and they clashed and clanged against each other. Sasuke was talented in hand-to-hand combat, and put up a decent fight for Sasori. He drove Sasuke backwards and down the mountain as they navigated the rocks carefully. "I just have a few questions," he added above the din of their fighting.

Nearby, a large, boxy hovercraft buzzed up the mountain, and a few cadets escaped Karin and Suigetsu and dove onto the open back of the hovercraft. Shots were fired from the safety of the hovercraft, but their firers were too inept and missed largely. Karin and Suigetsu retreated like shadows, but Sasori remained, Sasuke still in his clutches.

"Tell me everything there is to know about your brother and I'll let you live," Sasori explained coldly as they tussled among the rocks, Sasuke trying his best ot escape. He looked so young that it pained Sasori.

"Wh-what?" Sasuke panted, finally wrenching free and stumbling backwards. He nearly stumbled off a rock and to his death, but Sasori caught his hand at the last moment, holding him pendulously. The hovercraft neared them, and without looking, Sasori whipped out a gun and shot the craft in a few key places, bringing the craft spiraling down and crunching down the side of the mountain sickeningly. Sasuke looked scared now.

"Don't fuck with me. Tell me everything," he added menacingly. In a moment of blind intelligence, Sasuke reached up, ripping the mask off Sasori. He tried to stop it but it fell away, and it wasn't worth it to try and retrieve it. Sasuke had already seen his face. Disappointedly, Sasori held the gun to Sasuke's throat. "I didn't want to do things this way," he sighed. "Look, just tell me where your brother's been hiding and I'll let you go."

"I don't know," Sasuke snapped, twisting and struggling beneath Sasori's grasp. "They didn't even let me know about it."

"That was smart. Maybe I should just take you as bait and lure him out of hiding," Sasori thought outloud, pressing the barrel harder against Sasuke's skin. "But, no, that won't lure him out-he'll see through that. No, I think the best decision is to just kill you as warning to him that he'd better start cooperating. Your brother is in big trouble with the wrong people."

Sasori watched as Sasuke's dark traditional Uchiha eyes widened slightly. "How does it feel to know you're about to die?"

"You have nothing to gain by killing me," Sasuke retorted. Sasori was surprised by his confidence in the face of torture and death. "If you kill me, then Itachi will probably be even less likely to 'cooperate'... whatever that means. And you know it."

He was right, too. If Itachi had already been willing to take orders and do things that were certain to win him enemies, he wouldn't be afraid to go further.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. But you're not doing me any favors by being alive and well, either. I was hoping to get more information from you." he relinquished his hold on the young man, and Sasuke jumped up, getting ready to make a run for it. "Sorry, Sasuke, but I have orders." Sasori shot him in the leg, sending the Uchiha tumbling down the mountain.

When all the dust had cleared, he was left standing on a rock overlooking the mountain range, the gravity of emptiness settling like the dust around him.

Now at least ten people were dead, and they hadn't even gotten any valuable intel from the event. He could feel Suigetsu and Karin returning from their hiding places.

"Well, that was a kind of failure I've never before experienced. That brat didn't cooperate at all," Suigetsu said as he moved to stand slightly behind Sasori. Karin came closer to the edge and looked down the path Sasuke had been thrown. Splotches of red-the Uchiha blood-marred the rocks.

"We were told to kill him if we found nothing useful. I could tell that kid wasn't lying. He really has no information on his brother's whereabouts or activities. We should head back," Sasori explained, already turning back to the ship. He gave one last look down the mountain. "He did put up a hell of a fight though."

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha hadn't died. He'd been found days later. Some of the other cadets had died, but most of them got out alive. The only reason Sasori hand;t been killed by his boss was that Sasuke had been so brutally maimed that it was unlikely he'd ever walk again. His memory had been wiped of the incident apparently. The last thing he could remember was leaving for the mission.

_Good for you, you son of a bitch,_ Sasori thought as he read the report from Karin, who had been more than happy to go do recon on their former target. Sasuke was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life, and the word was that Itachi was _pissed._ Briefly Sasori wondered if there was a chance that Sasuke might remember his face, or heal enough to go out on missions. The chances of either event seemed slim to none.

"Well, at least he's alive," Suigetsu said. They were watching more security footage from the academy, and looking in on the surgery that had been performed to stitch up Sasuke's cuts and remove the bullet. A head of pink hair caught Sasori's eye and he found himself hungrily perusing the rest of the tapes, searching for another glimpse. His search was rewarded: from what he could tell, the pink-haired girl was a medical intern that had been assigned to Sasuke's rehabilitation. A useless internship, obviously, but Sasori was fascinated by the girl's determination. She seemed to have some sort of attachment to Sasuke, for she cried the first time she saw his immobile and battered body.

She wasn't pretty in a traditional sense, but she was captivating in a way Sasori had never before experienced. She had a clumsy but tidy energy about her, as if she lacked confidence but was more capable than she realized. Her luminous green eyes were lit with the fire of intelligence; it was familiar to Sasori because it was the same fire that fueled him, and long after his assignment on Sasuke had ended, he continued stealing the security footage, as well as any files on this girl that he could find. He'd watch and read late into the night, and found himself unable to complete any artwork during this time. She was different…he just couldn't quite tell _how._

Her name was Sakura. She was dating a student from the Elite Fleurian Academy, but apparently her feelings for Sasuke Uchiha were well-known. Every time Sasori closed his eyes, he saw Sasuke's brave eyes and then Sakura's brilliant green ones. It was torture. He had attempted to kill something this girl loved with all her heart, and for the first time in what seemed like forever, he felt true guilt. He couldn't explain to himself why he felt guilty about hurting someone he had never even met in person, but there was something about this girl that his mind had snagged on.

That smile…it polluted his every thought. It was such a lie, wasn't it? She wasn't always that happy. He saw on the tapes…she'd stay at the infirmary late at night, still trying to study Sasuke's injuries, trying to come up with a way to heal him. It was then, when no one was around, that her smile would fall away, and he'd see the real Sakura. She was puppetlike; she did as she was told during the day, her arms and legs and heart pulled by the invisible strings of those dependent on her. But then at night…she'd break free from the strings and devote herself to this Sasuke Uchiha. And then, she became his marionette, willing to give herself completely to Sasuke. Did she ever do anything for herself? What were her wants and desires? Was she really so willing to forgo her own needs to please those around her? And why was she willing to give all of her spare time and energy to a person that hardly noticed or cared for her?

She was such a mystery, seemingly her own agent yet driven by her loved ones. Sasori had always been independent, acting for himself and by himself, so he could not understand this girl's behavior.

After months of watching her rehabilitate Sasuke, it became clear that she was making progress on him…Sasuke was beginning to walk again. But it wasn't something that concerned Sasori. The real treat was seeing Sakura's face light up the first time Sasuke took that first unsteady, wavering step, as he held onto her thin arm.

Sasori watched, sudden understanding dawning on him like a sunrise.

"You just need to be needed, isn't that it? If no one needs you…you have no purpose. But can you exist for others solely for forever?" Sasori asked the footage as Sakura let out a cheery laugh when Sasuke stumbled.

The mystery of Sakura was coming together like a painting.

* * *

Sasori strolled through the streets of Fleuria. It was late at night but the city still pulsed with an electric energy. At the heart of the city was the park, which had no plantlife but instead was filled with gleaming neon sculptures surrounding an ice rink. Sasori had always enjoyed the architecture of Fleuria, but that wasn't the reason he was here. The real reason was sitting at a table in the park, across from a young man with a top knot. The conversation didn't seem to be going well, to Sasori's pleasure. Years had passed since his first moment of fascination with Sakura Haruno, and it had only intensified.

He strolled along the ice rink, across the park from Sakura and her boyfriend. Everything was cast in icy blue and electric lilac, lending a feeling of excitement to the air. Streams of water shot up from the center of the ice, and between the droplets, Sasori could still see Sakura's pink hair. His breath caught in his throat; why couldn't he create a piece of art as perfect as her?

"Someday…." he murmured to himself. He shoved his hands in his pockets, watching as she turned down the ring that her boyfriend had presented her.

_This is where she will confess to him that she is still in love with Sasuke…_

He read Sasuke's name on Sakura's lips, and he saw the way her boyfriend's face darkened.

Over the years, Sasuke had interfered in various ways with their relationship. It had been sad to watch Sakura's conflict, but it only made her beauty all the more sharp in clarity. Sasori always requested missions that might cause a chance meeting between them, but it had never occurred.

Sakura stood, fighting back tears, and left the table and her boyfriend.

* * *

Six years had passed since Sasuke's near-death in the Fleurian mountain range. Sakura had married Sasuke and saved countless lives in that time. Now, Sasori watched hungrily as she sat on the docks outside of the academy with her husband as they kissed.

Finally, their paths would cross for certain for the first time. Sasori hoped Sakura was prepared.


	16. 15: City of Delusion

Isekai

Author's note: Sorry this is like three weeks late x_x *smacks self* So, I decided to get surgery in regard to my health issue, and am doing great! I got it last week and have been recovering since then. Thank you for all of your lovely reviews, and special thanks to: .x, nina ninja, and truefan31 (and to anyone else i have forgotten) who pm'd me. I am recovering well, and this is, for me, the start of a brand new life :) Oh, and this chapter is super action packed. AND FINALLY NARUTO IS INTRODUCED YAY! Only took me half the story to introduce one of the most important characters..ah well.. Hope you guys like it!

Chapter Fifteen: City of Delusion

Sasuke strolled along the shores of the Gaulin sea in the breaking dawn the next morning. Saltwater lapped up against his boots as he made footprints in the sand with a soft scratching sound. For the first time in his life, Sasuke was more troubled by his love life than anything else. In fact, he'd never worried about his love life at all. Yet after last night's discussion with Sakura, he was unable to find relief in sleep. His thoughts chased each other, with no helpful conclusion.

When he returned to the apartment, Sakura was still asleep. His heart pounded as he watched her stretch in her sleep. The white shirt she was wearing twisted appealingly over her torso. Feeling possessed by a devil that just wanted to get him in trouble, he crept over to the bed and climbed on slowly on all fours, edging towards her with hesitation yet a definite purpose. He bolstered himself up over her, his hands on either side of her head, and gently leaned down, brushing his lips against her forehead. Her eyelashes fluttered as she opened her eyes, though it was too late for him to look like he _hadn't_ been doing something strange.

"Hello," she greeted groggily, rubbing her eyes.

"Hi." He wanted to extricate himself from this position but didn't know how to do so gracefully.

"Should I bother asking why you're on top of me?" her voice croaked slightly, though she was becoming more and more awake.

"It'd be better not to," he replied tightly, wishing he had not chosen to do such a strange thing. Her cheeks flushed and the urge to kiss her again was so much more overpowering.

"You kissed my forehead."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Right. Well-" she was cut off by a blaring alarm that seemed to resound from the walls themselves. Sasuke shot off the bed, startled, and amidst the deafening alarm, there was frantic banging on their door. It slid open to reveal a slightly frazzled looking Neji. He was panting slightly as though he'd been running for a long time.

"No time to waste. Attack on Elithrael-the city is burning. Hangar in two minutes," he ordered before turning on his heel and sprinting down the hall. Sasuke and Sakura, used to spur of the moment missions, wasted no time and were dressed and ready to go in seconds.

The hangar was filled with both cadets and instructors alike; it seemed that everyone older than the first years were there, in line arranged by year and then rank. Neji was facing them, talking with Itachi. Behind them, large square transports sat waiting to be boarded. More students poured into the hangar, looking bleary eyed, their uniforms somewhat disheveled.

"Itachi's going to address the students in a moment," Neji explained when Sasuke and Sakura reached him. "The students are going to be working to evacuate the citizens. Kakashi and Rin and Leena are going to lead them. The rest of us," he paused, adjusting his sword, "are going to be finding out the cause. Intelligence tells us the ones who started the attack are still there. If we can get there soon, we might be able to salvage most of the city. It just started being attacked fifteen minutes ago."

Gaara walked up to them, looking smug.

"And _that_ is why you station intelligence everywhere," he said with a half-smirk. Sakura suddenly made the connection: Temari and Kankuro's primary reason for being in Elithrael must not have been to entertain the court. They had to be the intelligence ops there. Gaara was carrying nunchaku slung around his neck; when Itachi joined them she noticed he had an elegant sword similar to Neji's in a sheath strapped to his back.

"Don't tell me we don't have any firearms on our team," Sasuke grumbled, observing his teammates. Kiba approached them, wearing a leather jacket with a luxurious fur collar over his uniform and carrying an enormous machine gun, holding the handle in his hand and resting the end of it over his shoulder. "…Never mind," he amended. Kiba grinned.

"Haven't had one of these missions in a while, eh?" he said to greet them. Neji began explaining the mission again as Itachi, in the background, addressed everyone else, emphasizing what they were to do to aid the evacuation.

"This is why we said that Elithrael's academy should rethink their priorities," Neji said when he was done briefing Kiba on the mission. "Fine, so they produce really smart soldiers, but Fleuria's academy does that better, and at least their students know what to do on a mission. Elithrael's academy is just too small and too weak to even save their own home."

Soon after Neji was done disparaging Elithrael's academy, they boarded the transports, with Sakura and Sasuke's group on the first one. They didn't wait to leave with the others but instead took off immediately, as everyone began polishing their weapons and talking nervously about the mission. Sasuke and Sakura took a seat against the wall on a bench that folded out of it, huddled together.

"Normally I'd be going with the others as a medic," Sakura murmured when she was sure that no one would overhead them. Sasuke nodded.

"I'm sure they have the medic interns with them." he paused, lost in thought. "Do you wish you were going with the others?"

"Not really. I loved being a medic but it was exhausting work. You never had the satisfaction of battle, and always were dealing with the thought that if you had just worked a little faster, you could have saved a person."

"…You saw a lot of people die?" there was something chilling about the idea that Sakura had possibly seen more death than he had. When he looked at her, he saw who she had become, but he hadn't seen the part of her that had been unable to save her patients. Her mouth pressed in a thin line, she said, "of course. Madara is doing a great job of wiping out the shinobi population." Her voice was cold and grim, and Sasuke felt like he had been punched in the gut. "Innocent people, children, the elderly-to him it doesn't seem to matter. I work on the battlefield mostly, which is a much better station. You only see the people dying who signed up for it, at least."

Sasuke found he was unable to supply a response. His mouth had gone dry. _It feels like my fault. _He had _wanted_ to destroy Konoha, but he'd always thought he would be the one to do it. _But Madara was just leaving me locked up, without my eyesight, while he did as he pleased._ Sasuke felt betrayed, and the old hatred that had been directed at Konoha was newly concentrated on Madara. He clenched his fists.

"It wasn't supposed to happen like that," he began, but they had finally reached Elithrael. When the transport opened, it was to a world of smoke and tongues of orange flame, licking everything in sight.

"Okay, Temari told us that she thinks the culprits are hiding in the palace because that was the first to be set on fire. You guys ready?" They were all given masks that filtered the smoky air and goggles, and they set off. They'd landed near the palace, which was built into the side of the mountain, raised above the city and overlooking it. Sakura quickly realized the problem: Elithrael was built mostly out of wood. It was surrounded by enormous and beautiful trees and mountains, but everything was catching on fire all too quickly. The houses and buildings were all wooden with thatched grass or hay roofs. The palace, at least, had some stone, but it too had enough wood to be a problem.

"Awesome," she heard Neji complain, as Itachi led them towards the front entrance of the palace. Servants and courtiers were fleeing the wreckage, shrieking and crying. Sakura adjusted her mask and goggles, and cracked her knuckles, having donned her brass knuckles. It was hard to keep up with Itachi, and even with the mask and goggles, her eyes and throat burned from the smoke. The flames soared around them, roaring and giving off enough heat that by the time they were actually in the palace hall, they were all drenched in sweat, their skin dripping ashy perspiration.

"We'll split up. Sakura and Sasuke and Neji, you guys make a good team. Gaara, Kiba, and I will go the other way, once Temari contacts us." A wooden beam fell from overhead just then, nearly killing Neji, and they ducked into a corridor that was entirely stone. Sakura's heart pounded deafeningly.

Temari was running towards them, ducking and weaving through the wreckage, and Sakura could see that now it was obvious she was not a courtesan primarily. She was still wearing a silken dress of blood red, but had ripped most of it off, revealing muscular legs encased in black shorts, and a holster on her thigh with knives and a gun. She was still carrying a paper fan, however.

"That fan has retractable knives. She made it herself…Sometimes my sister's violence is a little disturbing," Gaara explained to them with a grin. Finally, Temari reached them, panting and coughing.

"It's a redheaded guy. He's got a redheaded girl and a guy with white hair with him, and they have other ones in the city, starting the fires too," Temari choked out. "Kankuro's trying to find the ones in the city, but it's hard because they've already done so much damage."

"The main group is still in the palace?"

"Definitely. I think they got in at the tower, but we're having all of the exits watched. If they try to leave, we'll know. They have to still be in here." Temari bent over and coughed, clutching her rib cage. "Damn, this smoke. I've been in here, waiting, but the smoke is everywhere," she explained. Sakura frowned.

"She shouldn't stay here. If she keeps breathing in smoke, she'll die," she said, stepping forward. Gaara held out a mask and goggles.

"One step ahead of you. Here, sis," he said, having finally fished out a mask and goggles out of his pack. Temari strapped them on, but still was coughing violently.

"Okay. Temari will go with you guys, since she's gone a gun," Itachi delegated. He pointed across the hall. "You guys go that way. So it's a man and woman with red hair and a man with white hair?"

"And pointed teeth," Temari added. Sasuke's heart did a funny jump. _It has to be Karin and Suigetsu…but who's the other redhead?_

They split up, following Temari's expert lead through the wreckage of the palace hall. More beams fell as they caught fire, and just as they reached the opposite corridor, it became impossible to cross the enormous hall. It was a room of flames.

They searched. They threw open doors and looked under tapestries. Neji's heat sensor was obviously useless so they had to manually search. Finally, their last option was the sky high tower that was reserved for stargazing and acted as a surrogate lookout tower. The steps wound their way up for a hundred feet, and when they reached the top, they found a dead body leaking blood.

"Never mind. They must have found them already," Temari said as they turned around, going down the stairs. "Damn…that sucks. That guy was nice. He worked as the lookout for people coming into Elithrael."

"Did a great job of it, didn't he?" said Neji scathingly, and Temari threatened to trip him down the stone stairs. "Fine, sorry."

As they retraced their steps, Temari led them an alternate way to the west wing of the castle, where the rest of their group was exploring. Sakura was filled with sadness as they passed-the palace was thousands of years old, and all of the beautiful art and history that filled it was burning away, lost forever.

"Itachi!" Neji called. They had reached what seemed to be a throne room, where Itachi and his group were. Gaara was bleeding and leaning against the wall. Luckily the flames had not reached this room yet, though when Sakura looked closely she felt sick to her stomach. The king was crumpled at the foot of his throne, his crown having fallen off and rolled a few feet away. Blood ran in rivulets across the stone floor, seeping between the stones. Behind her, Neji swore.

"Well, we've officially failed," Kiba said grimly.

"We haven't failed yet-we still need to find the people who did this," Sakura said angrily. "Let's get moving. There's no time, idiots." Bemused, everyone followed as she stormed across the throne room to the other entrance.

Here, more of the structure was composed of wood, and the flames flickered dangerously close. They were forced to go single file, with Sakura belligerently in the lead. Up ahead, she could see that at the very end of the wing, the roof had burned away, exposing the room to the open air. More importantly, something through the flames caught her eye and she nearly stopped dead in her tracks.

Sasori stood with two others, apparently waiting for something. _He's dead in my world…though, so is Itachi, and he lives in this world. _Her heart began to pound frantically. As they moved closer, she recognized that the redheaded girl was part of Sasuke's team, Karin, though the man with white hair was a stranger.

"Found em," she said, and they emptied the hall into the now burned down room. Sasori cast his gaze upon them, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

"You can't escape now!" Kiba valiantly cried, though it was wasted, for the three pulled out guns that had tanks attached to them, worn on their backs. They simply aimed, though when Sasori caught Sakura's eye, he ordered the other two to lower their weapons.

"Interestingly enough, neither can you," Sasori said, amused, and pointed behind them. Indeed, the corridor was blocked by flames.

The girl, Karin, gasped.

"It's him!" she pointed to Sasuke. Sasori raised his eyebrows.

"Yes, yes it is. You don't remember us, however I changed your life, Sasuke." He smiled but it did not reach his eyes. Sakura had always found Sasori's presence chilling: in her own world, he had sought immortality through puppetry. She found his art beautiful but disturbing, and Sasori was no different from his art. "Yes, it was I who pushed you off the mountain and broke your spine. You put up a good fight…I wonder how well your spine has healed?"

"Just fine, actually. You're not too good at your job, since I'm guessing the objective was to kill me," Sasuke said coolly, though Sasori let out a loud, cold laugh.

"Look around you, fool."

He had an unfortunate point. Elithrael was beyond repair. The flames rove over the city still, despite efforts from countries around the world to stop it. Sasori examined his nails, as though he burned down cities on a daily basis and tired of it. _He probably actually does destroy things regularly,_ Sakura thought bitterly. "Yes, well, I was _trying_ to get you to turn your brother in, but you were just too stubborn. You left me no choice, sadly."

Kiba started yelling about how Sasori and his followers would have to pay for what they did, but Sakura realized quickly that Sasori was paying literally no attention to him, and had fixated his gaze on her, his hazel eyes roving up and down her with great interest. Sasuke noted this too.

"She's cute, Sasuke, and all you had to do was break your spine to get her." Sasuke's fists clenched so hard his knuckles bleached.

"He's baiting you," Sakura warned.

"That's not the worst of it. You know, I'm an excellent hacker. Can you guess what I hack into for entertainment?"

Sasuke had no idea; Sakura was one step ahead of him.

"You sick creep," she hissed. "The video surveillance system?"

"Oh, and she's brilliant too. Good one, Sasuke. By the way, Sakura, I especially liked it when you punched him last week. Really hil-" Sasori couldn't finish, because Sasuke had drawn his sword and lunged. Unfettered, Sasori drew what was merely a handle and pressed a button on its hilt. Itachi seemed to grasp what he was about to do before anyone else, and lunged in front of Sasuke. Sakura gasped at Itachi's absurd speed; how did he do that without the Sharingan?

But Sasori had struck, and seemingly without touching Itachi, he had either knocked him unconscious or killed him. Just as swiftly as he had moved in front of Sasuke, Itachi crumpled, lifeless at Sasuke's feet. Sasuke was in shock; it bought Sasori enough time to back away. A silver ship swooped down and hovered next to the wreckage, and Sasori and his two friends were preparing to jump on. Kiba was about to shoot when a turret opened up out of the ship's cockpit, revealing Hanabi, prepared to aim and fire at any of them. Sakura and Gaara stepped in front of Neji so Hanabi wouldn't see him, and let Sasori get away.

Now it was just the crackling and spitting of flames that rose higher around them.

"I-I'll call the transport," Temari announced weakly. Sasuke had dropped to his knees, clutching Itachi's lifeless form. Sakura ran to kneel next to him.

"A pulse. I found a pulse," Sasuke said hoarsely, one tear sneaking down his filthy cheek. Sakura double checked for him and nodded; Itachi merely was unconscious, thankfully.

"What was that weapon?" she wondered aloud. Itachi had been hit in the chest with it, and when Sakura parted the cloth of his uniform, she saw a thin, dark red line. It was a slash and looked like it had just barely missed his heart. "A few millimeters to the right and he'd probably be dead. This looks deep…even though it's so precise."

Sasuke was shaking with relief; the transport arrived and Shizune had Itachi strapped to a stretcher as academy students put out the fire to make a path for everyone.

"The city's destroyed," Shizune told the group after they were all safely inside. "I don't know how they created these flames but they're impossible to put out." To Temari and Gaara's relief, Kankuro was there on the transport, having his arm stitched up.

"We didn't lose any of our people," Kankuro told them, sounding exhausted. Sasuke, who had been hovering over his brother's stretcher, snapped his head at Kankuro.

"Except for Itachi, maybe," he growled, and Kankuro was instantly silenced.

It was a sunny day in Gaulin. Most of the students had returned to class the next day after Elithrael's destruction, though Sasuke refused to teach his classes, instead glued to Itachi's bedside. Sakura waited out in the hall by the infirmary, enjoying the rare peace and quiet while all students were busy in classes leaving the halls empty. Itachi still hadn't woken up, and it was shaking the entire academy that their new headmaster might be dead.

Footsteps echoed throughout the hall and she looked up, expecting a student out of class, to find Naruto himself strolling towards her, his hands shoved in his pockets. In person he was even more handsome and her mouth went dry. The sun coming in from the window at the top of the academy shone down on him, casting him in a warm, golden glow. He seemed uncommonly somber, though she recognized some of her own Naruto when he was sad, and fought the urge to hug him or comfort him. As he walked toward her, she thought, _Well, this is it. Finally getting to see Naruto in this world. Is he usually this somber? _A prickle of feeling went through her. She wanted to run to him, to cheer him up, and to tell him everything that had transpired, but this was, of course, not the same Naruto.

"Um, hi," he greeted, his gaze flickering at the infirmary before coming back to her. He pasted on a cheeky grin, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"P-president," she stammered. Naruto was wearing what seemed to be a decorated dark blue dress uniform, though it wasn't the academy's uniform. She assumed it was the usual attire for the Fleurian president. "I'm Sakura Uchiha."

Naruto's eyebrows shot up.

"Itachi's married? How did I miss that-"

"No, I'm married to Sasuke."

They stood in silence for a moment, each searching for something to say.

"I heard about Itachi," he finally said. "I haven't spoken to him in ages-like ten years or something-but he was still my best friend and an older brother to me."

"You should go in. It's just Sasuke in there with him." Sakura gestured for him to go inside, and Naruto did as such, throwing a 'thanks' over his shoulder.


	17. 16: Schism

Isekai

Author's Note: So, since I have been so bad at updating lately, I decided to put this one up today. I was able to draft it pretty quickly-which is unusual for me-and didn't have to change that much from the original version. Hope you guys like it, and once again, thank you all for such wonderful reviews!

Chapter Sixteen: Schism

Sasuke had been in a trancelike state, sitting in the hospital room for hours straight, staring helplessly at Itachi's lifeless form as though staring might revive him. Shizune had said that Itachi would wake up soon, but she, like Sakura, seemed disturbed by the nature of Itachi's wound.

"It's just so precise," Shizune said that morning, staring at the wound. "But it can't be a laser, or else it would have been cauterized. Just be happy this guy didn't have great aim; Itachi would be dead."

Sasuke had found himself unable to look Sakura in the eye since they had met Sasori. It was obvious he had watched them, which meant he knew about Sasuke's breakdown and had most likely seen them both showering, using the bathroom, and changing. In an uncharacteristically tactful move, Neji had searched their room without orders for the camera and removed it. Still, it did nothing to help the silence and awkwardness that stretched between them. Sasuke felt unclean and invaded, and by the shudders he noted Sakura having when she thought he wasn't looking, he knew she felt the same way.

"Hey," a voice came, shaking Sasuke from his turmoiled thoughts, and he let out a gasp involuntarily. In the doorway stood Naruto-President Uzumaki-with his hands shoved in his pockets, his face gone sheet white at the sight of Itachi. He was hooked up to so many monitors and IVs that it was almost sickening to look at him.

"….Hi," said Sasuke cautiously. Without invitation, Naruto pulled one of the chairs out to sit next to Sasuke.

"Hope you don't mind. He was a friend of mine," Naruto said, flashing Sasuke an all too-familiar grin that sent Sasuke reeling back to the past: times when he and the rest of team seven were catching bells and learning how to climb trees with chakra. "He was like a brother to me, actually," Naruto added, and Sasuke's memories crashed down around him as he spared a glance for Naruto. "But we had a disagreement, and I haven't seen him in ten years."

Naruto seemed to need to speak (as usual) so Sasuke said nothing, waiting for him to continue. "He always talked about you. I left the day before you came. You probably were never told about what happened; most people weren't."

At this, Naruto let out a sigh and ran a hand through his untidy blonde hair, before his face lit up again and he shot Sasuke another of his trademark toothy grins. "But what am I saying? You don't care about this, I'm sure."

"No, go on," Sasuke said, his voice hoarse from not having used it much in the past twenty four hours. He felt eager to find out things about Itachi.

"Heh, well, long story short he kind of blew up my village. On orders of course, and at that point my family was already dead, but still. You know, I was only thirteen at the time or something, so I was kind of pissed off." As Naruto recalled it, he laughed.

"I can imagine," Sasuke said quietly. He was taken aback by how casually Naruto recounted such an enormous change in his life.

"Yeah, I was pissed at him for a couple years. So pissed I did some really dumb things, actually. I joined the Hyuuga empire's army-"

"And fell in love with Hinata," Sasuke pointed out before he could stop himself. Naruto paled.

"How do you know about that?"

Remembering the necklace, Sasuke brushed it off for now. "Long story. We can discuss it later."

Naruto seemed uncomfortable, but he didn't stop talking. "Yeah, well before that I even joined up with this task force that I knew was trying to bring Itachi down, though luckily during that time he had gone into hiding, and I left because I was so horrified by their attitude towards human life."

_It has to be Sasori's group…_Sasuke said nothing, however, making a mental note to ask about it later. "Thankfully, my shot at killing Itachi came much later and by then I had begun to understand things better." He paused, his eyes trained on Itachi. "I always forgot that at that time, Itachi was just a kid, too. A smart one, uncommonly wise, but a kid nonetheless. He was only nineteen at the time, and under a lot of pressure. I found out later that he was given a choice: either he basically brought down the village where some rebel forces-courtesy of my dad-were hiding, or his family would be tortured to death. And knowing Itachi, I'm sure he did everything he could to save the villagers as well as his family."

"Don't you…" Sasuke drew in a breath," don't you still feel angry? Don't you still seek revenge?"

Naruto shrugged.

"I'm lucky. I _was_ really angry, because I felt like every time I found a place where people loved me like my parents would have, it was taken away in the most brutal way possible. But in the time after leaving the academy, I saw enough death and enough of the darker sides of human nature that I understood that killing Itachi or hurting him in any way would not make me feel better. And between you and me, Hinata was a big part of that. She isn't like most Hyuuga…she's kinder, more caring, more deep. I owe a lot of the peace I feel now to her. She made me see that I could use my pain to help change the world into a kind of world where people don't have experiences like mine."

Sasuke was sickened by Naruto's words; not at Naruto but at himself.

_Winner takes all. In the end, Naruto is a better person than I am. Now I can't just brush it off and say we've had different lives. Even here, Naruto's kindness wins. _

He could not bear to think of it, so he said nothing, instead intently focusing on the monitor for Itachi's heart. He wanted to disappear, to hide, to be oblivious to his own stupidity and wrongdoings. He could not bear to be around himself. He was so filled with shame that he couldn't hide the grimace on his face. _I'm an idiot. A loser. A petty, selfish brat._

Why hadn't he seen what Naruto had seen?

* * *

Even though Neji had removed the security cameras in her room, Sakura still felt no desire to return to the apartment, and instead resumed teaching, if only as a way to busy her mind. She had not spoken more than a few words to Sasuke since the transport back to Gaulin, though she had no idea of what to say to comfort him so instead gave him space. Naruto had left soon after stopping by, telling her that he would be meeting with Sasuke and her in the next few days when he found time. _Sasuke must have told him about the necklace, then. _As she let out her second class of the day, Kakashi came in, pulling her from her reverie.

"Itachi woke up," he said, pulling out a chair and sitting on it backwards so that his legs were on either side of the back and his arms rested on the back. "But Shizune isn't allowing anyone to see him right now."

As he spoke, they saw Sasuke whiz by the window on a borrowed hoverboard, his expression dark. They watched as he mostly lingered around the academy, clearly not planning on going further, which relaxed Sakura. There was every chance he'd go off on his own to find and destroy Sasori. To her, Sasuke was as remote as an unplottable island in the middle of the sea. It was like they were strangers again, and Sakura was afraid to approach him. "It'll work out. He was just in shock," Kakashi said gently. "It was a lot for him to process. Imagine being told that your brother risked everything to make sure you avoided torture! And I'm sure you both are uncomfortable about the hidden camera."

"You have no idea," Sakura said, resting her face in her hands. _And to have this happen the day after we were just short of….well, of going so much further…_ Her cheeks flushed at the memory, which seemed like a long distant time. Now Sasuke had reverted to his most cold, introverted, and foul-tempered incarnation. "I just…I wish I could say something to make it better."

"You can't, and you know it." Kakashi's voice was kind and tears smarted at the corners of Sakura's eyes as she recalled how team seven had been, before everything had gone sour. They certainly had had their ups and downs and it took a long time for them to form bonds, but once they had, those bonds had been unbreakable… Or at least, they had seemed unbreakable. _Kakashi said that he understood how Sarutobi felt so much affection for Orochimaru even after he could become so evil…_ Sakura understood it too, and she knew Naruto had. Seeing Sasuke so twisted in his own pain was excruciating, but to them, it seemed temporary."This isn't a nice thing to say," Kakashi began, "but Sasuke was always my favorite student. I met him when he was a toddler… back when I was a student. Rin and I had been assigned a mission to retrieve him from the woods by the old Uchiha estate-back when they lived there."

Kakashi was becoming difficult to follow as he thought out loud. "Itachi was smart to have his family moved. His stubborn mule of a father…Unfortunately, Sasuke does take after his father that way. Anyway…his father had gotten involved with the wrong people, according to Itachi. This was when Itachi was eleven years old…he'd gotten accepted early because he was so clearly a prodigy. Before anything terrible could happen, he persuaded the Uchiha family to disperse. The extended family lived on this enormous estate, kind of strange if you ask me. Itachi had his parents moved to a remote location, and shortly after they had moved, the Uchiha estate was pillaged and destroyed.

"Rin and I went to find little Sasuke, and I was so annoyed that our big mission was to find a toddler-missions were hard to come by in those days, it was a peaceful few years-and for the life of us we could not catch that brat." Kakashi laughed again, slapping his knee. "God. We were the academy's two top students…underneath Itachi, of course, which was a humiliating experience, to be beaten by an eleven year old …and we could not catch Sasuke."

"How did he escape?"

"The kid had gotten leaves in his hair and on his clothes, so that he blended perfectly with his surroundings. At one point, we heard this rustling overhead…we looked up, and Sasuke was there, crouched on a branch….god knows how he got up there….and he dropped this enormous birds' nest on our heads!"

They laughed together until Sakura's stomach hurt from laughing so hard. Wiping the tears of mirth from her cheeks, she stood.

"Let's go see if Itachi can have any visitors."

* * *

Sasuke zoomed through the air. He was getting used to the feel of a hoverboard and was soon able to perform hairpin turns, loops, and swerves like a professional. However, he had not set out to learn how to fly a hoverboard-he had wanted time and space to think. The hoverboard granted him such things, as no one dared approach him as he zoomed over the surf so fast that he was merely a dark blur against the glittering sea.

_He's alive. He's going to be fine. Why do I feel like this then?_

Deep down, he knew exactly why: he was ashamed of himself. He dived and skimmed the surface of the water, dipping his hand to feel the cool water rush through his fingers. Why, after all those times Sakura had rushed to comfort him any chance she got, was she ignoring him now when he needed her the most?

_Well, at least you're admitting you need her. Progress, right? _He thought bitterly. He circled around a treetop, going so fast that some of the leaves were sliced off, and then progressed to the plateau where he and Sebastien had sparred. _Thank god I don't see that asshole around Sakura anymore,_ he thought darkly. _Then again, I wouldn't mind kicking the shit out of something annoying right now. _

Worst of all was that he noticed that in his absence, Sai seemed to be hovering around Sakura more than usual. _It's like he's realized there's an opening. _That, and also Neji had said something about all the girls fluttering nervously at any mention of President Uzumaki. He'd glanced at Sasuke before adding, "even Sakura." He had to be thankful for Neji's surprising loyalty to him and wondered if he had an ulterior motive.

_All these questions about everyone…will I ever be at a point where I'm not questioning whether someone is preparing to hurt or leave me?_ The hoverboard slowed to a stop on top of an arrangement of rocks facing the sea, and Sasuke slumped down and began hurling little stones into the ocean.

"Hoverboarding is second nature to you." Sakura's quavery and forcedly cheerful voice broke his thoughts and he tossed a glance over his shoulder. Indeed she was climbing the rocks toward him, and seemingly against his will, he turned away from her and the silence between them became chilly. Still, a tiny part of him rejoiced: _she came back for me!_ He mentally quashed that part of him and resumed glowering at the sea and hurling stones into it. Sakura carefully, as though approaching an untamed lion, arranged herself on a rock a few feet away from him. "So," she began, breaking the silence. "Naruto visited Itachi."

At the mention of Naruto's name, Sasuke flung the rock harder than usual and it nearly killed a gull that had just risen from catching a fish. "Er, Sasuke, that was a little violent-"

"Let's just talk about Naruto all day then!" Sasuke exploded, his face red. He could feel Sakura's gaze on him, those damned emerald eyes so all-knowing, all-seeing…yet why didn't she just _see_ how he felt? Why was she being so ignorant? _Maybe she has more faith in me than to think me jealous._

Sakura gaped at Sasuke as understanding dawned on her. _Oh my god. He's…no, he couldn't be. Why would he be jealous of Naruto?_ Against her own desire to remain alive, Sakura decided to prod the beast a little further.

"He_ has_ gotten quite handsome," she ventured. The back of Sasuke's neck became red. "And I heard from Kakashi that he spends most of his free time volunteering at a children's hospital."

She could have sworn she heard Sasuke mimic her under his breath. He certainly rolled his eyes broadly and scoffed.

Frustration that had been pent up for days began throwing itself at her willpower. She wanted a reaction, a sign, _anything_ to prove that they had been kissing two days ago, and that he indeed liked her. Before she had time to debate whether to speak further, she had said it: "Can't just bully him into not going near me, can you?" she said coldly, and then clapped her hands over her mouth. Sasuke had frozen, and though this proved what she had guessed at, she no longer cared to prove it. It was as though an abyss had split between them. The look Sasuke gave her was like a glacier.

She left quickly, nearly falling off the rock to get away from Sasuke. She was disgusted with herself. _Why did I say that? How could I have said something like that?_ And, as she was racing back to the academy, it occurred to her that just because Sasuke had not reacted well to her statement did not necessarily prove that he had feelings for her. _Anyone would not appreciate being called a bully. _

She was further ashamed of herself when she realized that while the other members of the academy had been worrying about Itachi's death and who to blame for Elithrael's destruction-and where to take the refugees of Elithrael-she was still worrying about Sasuke. _Have I not grown at all?_

…Deep down, she knew the answer, and she didn't like it at all.

When she had returned to the academy, Sai was sitting on a bench outside, lost in drawing. Sakura dropped down next to him.

"Ever kind of feel like you're just a despicable person?" she blurted. Sai glanced at her.

"No."

"…Ah." She leaned over to look at what he was drawing, and was surprised to see a drawing of her, Sasuke, and Naruto standing together as children. Suspiciously, she looked at Sai. "Just out of curiosity, why are you drawing me and Sasuke with the President of Fleuria?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"I thought his attractiveness would make up for your lack thereof, and his good personality would make up for Sasuke's horrible one," Sai replied brightly. When Sakura studied the drawing closer, she flushed with anger.

"And just why is my chest concave?" she demanded.

"I was going for realism, Sakura." He held up the drawing, gesturing to her forehead. "You'll notice that you're also leaning forward slightly, as a result of the enormous girth of your forehead." At his comment, something inside Sakura snapped.

"MEN!" she bellowed, standing up and snatching Sai's sketchbook from his hands and smacking him with it. "I hate men! Every last one of them!"

"Most likely due to the fact that you are so masculine and yet do not even get a peni-"

"SAI!"

"Even your punches are masculine, Sakura!"

Breathing heavily, Sakura finally relented and returned Sai's sketchbook before sitting down again, slightly out of breath, her hair wild. "When you say men, I think it probably means, Sasuke," Sai added. Sakura scowled at him.

"No, that included you as well."

"Oh."

Tears began to slip down Sakura's cheeks.

"Sai, I'm such an asshole," she mumbled.

"Yeah, you are," he agreed amiably. Sakura shot him a glare before continuing.

"I just…I wanted to _prove_ he likes me, and then I went and said something really mean."

"That's the first sign of femininity you've ever expressed!" said Sai in a congratulatory tone. "Two things that distinguish men from women are the desire to prove love, as well as the resultant heart crushing."

"And," Sakura continued as though she hadn't heard him, "I hit below the belt at a time when he needed love and comfort. I was supposed to be his friend and I ended up just acting like an obsessive fangirl."

"Yeah, you do that sometimes," Sai said mildly, resuming his drawing.

"Why does he _do _that to me? In all other cases, I act rational and competent. Then when Sasuke's around, I just lose my mind and forget about everything else."

"Maybe he isn't the right person for you. Maybe you shouldn't have married him," Sai commented. Sakura looked up, surprised and prepared to ask more, but Sai snapped his sketchbook shut hastily. "I must go. Itachi wanted to speak with me about Elithraelaen students studying here temporarily," he announced, standing and turning away.

"Then why were you here drawing?" she called after him, watching him walk away.

Even though she knew he had heard her, for he was not ten paces from her, Sai did not respond.


	18. 17: Mr Brightside

Isekai

Author's note: I'm on a roll lately with writing this! Geez! Well, for this chapter I tried to capture the 'tension' between Sasuke and Sakura, and I'm worried I veered too much into Evil!Sasuke towards the end, but meh, I really liked the last line of this chapter, so I hope you guys aren't too disturbed by how Sasuke acts. Also, thanks as usual for all of the lovely reviews. Happy reading!

Chapter Seventeen: Mr. Brightside

Over the next few days, Sasuke ignored Sakura so skillfully it was almost professional, and Sakura could now see why they would have never caught him after the chuunin exam. Sasuke was a natural at avoidance and evading whoever was after him, and even though they never left the academy and often had meetings together, he repeatedly slipped through her fingers like water. Unfortunately, Sakura felt unable to talk to anyone about it and decided the only way to make herself feel better was to do as she had done in Konoha: throw herself into her work. And she needed to do it anyway, for there had been reports of more destruction around the world, though luckily nothing as complete as Elithrael.

The Elithraelean academy had turned down Itachi's invitation that they continue to train at Gaulin, but the way Elithrael had responded had awarded them a frosty silence from Itachi.

"It was just a pleasant and nice thing to do," Itachi explained as he and Sakura ate in the cafeteria that night, alone except for one of the cooks who was on the late shift. "And they completely threw it back in my face."

"My mother always told me-" at the look on Itachi's face she realized her huge mistake and froze. "my adopted mother," she corrected herself hastily. Itachi nodded, and gestured for her continue. "Anyway, she always said that 'no good deed goes unpunished.'"

"My mother always said that too," Itachi agreed, glumly pushing away his mostly untouched plate. "Never mind those idiots anyway. We're working with countries all over to catch Sasori, and the donations to help rebuild Elithrael and the offers to house the refugees are _staggering._ In a couple of years, I'm sure it'll look the way it always did. Though in my opinion, with the king murdered, they should take this as a chance to change their government…and, perhaps, make their architecture less flammable." Itachi's eyes twinkled with humor.

"Agreed."

They sat in silence as they each pushed their plates to the side and began doing work. Sakura had printed out as many mission reports as she could possibly find, and was circling every possible mention of Sasori or his group. "Doesn't it seem likely that they are the ones responsible for that spider robot?" Sakura asked, breaking the silence. Itachi didn't even look up from his work.

"It's likely, certainly, though we still have no explanation for why they were in the radiotower at all."

"Yeah. Too bad."

A kind of calm settled over Sakura as she became lost in thoughts of how to catch Sasori, and what his next move might be. Who was he reporting to? There was a connection to Hyuuga, obviously, since Hanabi had been the one piloting his ship, though in the days since Elithrael had burned down, Chun Wu had been closed off completely, and no one could leave or enter the country. _That_ by itself was telling, though they had issued a statement saying it was to prevent their own destruction.

_'No, you just don't want us interrogating you and finding out that you're the one behind all of this,_' she thought grimly. After she and Itachi parted, she went to the library, preparing herself for another all-nighter. It seemed almost like a tacit agreement that by the time Sakura returned to the apartment-usually around four or five in the morning-Sasuke would be gone. She knew he was probably training or eating but at this point she had little motivation to seek him out.

The strangest thing was that it looked like Sai was avoiding her too, though it was less obvious and he did respond to her and greet her. He just never lingered for long. It made Sakura feel lonely and recall the days she was training under Tsunade. The only people she regularly saw were her parents, though thinking of them now would just make her feel even worse, so as soon as she got to the library, she sat at a terminal and resumed searching, forcing herself to get lost in the work again. She had to constantly remind herself to not think of Sasuke, though telling herself to not think about him made it all the more difficult.

Around two in the morning, Rin joined her.

"Can't sleep either?" she asked sympathetically, sitting down next to Sakura. Sakura nodded.

"Making a lot of headway on this Sasori issue, so maybe insomnia's a good thing."

She could feel Rin's eyes on her before the older woman said softly, "You don't have insomnia though."

Caught by surprise, Sakura blinked at Rin.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Rin looked around, proving the library to be empty besides them.

"Sakura, what happened between you and Sasuke? Everyone can tell something horrible happened…"

And that did it. Tears slid down her cheeks and Sakura hastily wiped them away.

"N-nothing," she said thickly through her tears. Rin did not turn away.

"Itachi said he didn't want to get involved and was worried he'd just make things worse, and Neji feels like it's his fault…"

"Why?"

Rin sighed. "Because technically, he was the one who encouraged you to break things off with Shikamaru, right? But once in a while I think he feels like he shouldn't have done that. And I asked Sai, and he just…got this weird look on his face and said he had to go."

So people had noticed. _I guess it must be obvious, when a married couple is not speaking or ever seen in each other's company. _

"We had a fight and I said a lot of things that were really below the belt. But when I try to confront him, he runs away," she explained sorrowfully. Her shame renewed by the confession, she cringed and covered her face with her hands. Rin patted her back.

"Do you think that it's…over?"

Sakura laughed callously at that one. _It never even began, so I guess technically it can't end. _But it did feel like the end of something. Like the end of a good dream-a complicated and vivid dream, but a good dream nonetheless. She recalled waking up in the hospital and confronting Sasuke. He had suggested she only wanted to play along in this world because she still harbored a desire to be married to him. At the time she had denied it vehemently but in retrospect he appeared to have hit the nail on the head.

_I thought we made a really good team._

"I don't know."

* * *

Sasuke turned on his heel, storming away from the library. He had gone there with the intention of trying to patch things up with Sakura, but when Rin had asked whether things were over between them, Sakura had simply laughed. Heat rose in his cheeks and he decided a trip to the training center would be good for him. Deep down he knew that what he really needed was to make up with Sakura and get some real sleep-which he hadn't had in days-but it didn't seem a viable option now. As he stomped to the training center he passed by Sai and fought the urge to punch him. He didn't have a specific reason; Sai just irritated him.

"Going somewhere, Uchiha?"

"None of your business," said Sasuke nastily. He sped up to put as much distance between him and Sai as possible. It occurred to him that Sai was walking in the direction of the library, and he briefly wondered if he intended to see Sakura. _Whatever. Let him. I don't care._

"Actually, it is. I've told you before to watch over her, and you've disregarded it."

Sasuke stopped and looked over his shoulder, back at Sai. It was strange to hear him sound so commanding. "I feel you have had many chances to make up for what you've done."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Sasuke hissed, turning to face Sai, though his insides felt like they had turned to lead. _What I've done? _Sai did not humor him by explaining, and instead stared levelly at him.

"This was your chance-your last one-and you blew it." On that note, he turned and left Sasuke standing there, alone in the hall.

* * *

Sakura returned to the apartment, feeling slightly better after speaking to Rin. Rin had seemed to really understand how she was feeling. She had recounted some of her own stupid mistakes in past relationships. _When are she and Kakashi going to get together?_ The idea that Kakashi might have no interest in Rin made Sakura sad again though. _I know how unrequited love that last for years feels._

When she stepped inside, she was shocked to find Sasuke sitting on her bed in the dark, though when she flicked on the lights they revealed Sai, not Sasuke. He turned to face her.

"S-sai! Don't scare me like that!" she ordered, dropping her books on the ground beside her and closing the door. Sai nodded and stood. "Can I help you?" It was weird that Sai was in her room. How had he gotten in? Why was he sitting on the bed? _Then again, Sai being weird is nothing to worry about. When is he _not _weird?_ Sai crossed the room to her and stared down at her.

"Things are still not better between you and Uchiha," he began, bracing his hands on the wall behind Sakura's head, forcing her to back up against the wall.

"Sai, what's going on?" she asked with forced calmness.

"I gave him his chance and he didn't use it," Sai said, though this did nothing to clarify what he meant. "I'm doing this for you."

"F-for me?" she stammered as Sai moved closer, so that their noses were touching. "Get off me." her voice trembled. "I'm not kidding, Sai. Get off me now or I'll…"

The lean muscle in his arms, displayed by his black tee shirt, reminded her that she was powerless in this situation. She recalled Kakashi once warning her, before they set off on a mission as genin, that men-even familiar men-were to be watched carefully. _He told me to not even trust guys I was friendly with. _Kakashi had said, 'men will take any chance to get something for themselves, and sometimes they are persuasive, other times, forceful. Be careful.' She had forgotten that advice, and now it came back to her as she debated her ways out of this situation. She doubted she could overpower him with strength, so she'd have to surprise him and kick him in the crotch. His dark, flat eyes met hers and as she looked into them, she was unsure of what she saw. She had recognized traces of normal emotion in Sai before and now saw hesitance leading desire in his gaze. The rise and fall of his chest and shoulders told her he was breathing quicker than usual, and his gaze traveled from her eyes to her lips, over her collarbone and then back up to her eyes again. When he looked down, his lashes against his cheekbone reminded Sakura strongly of Sasuke and pain seared in her heart. _I want to be this close to Sasuke…_ Thinking of it made her pulse race and her breathing quickened as well. _Don't be thinking of that at a time like this! Who knows what Sai is up to?_

And then his lips were barely touching hers, in such a soft and gentle kiss that she was momentarily stunned. Sakura turned her head away from Sai, causing his lips to brush her cheek in the process. Goosebumps prickled all over her skin. Abruptly, Sai, drew away from her and turned his back to her. "What was that?" she demanded.

"Nothing. Forget it ever happened," said Sai emotionlessly. Before she could do or say anything, he had left, his footsteps echoing down the hall, traveling away from her. Sakura sank down to the floor, feeling ashamed that she hadn't worked harder to defend herself. _It was barely even a kiss. It's okay. Don't feel embarrassed. You couldn't have overpowered him, and at least he didn't do anything more than that. _She hugged her arms around herself, shaking. There was a part of her that had enjoyed it more than she would have admitted out loud. _You were always curious about kissing Sai, weren't you? _She had been since the moment she had first met him, though it might have had something to do with his resemblance to Sasuke.

_Admit it. You just see him as a more accessible version of Sasuke. _She felt despicable. Sai was a proxy to Sasuke. Still, she touched her lips, recalling how soft and gentle and unexpected his kiss had been. So unlike Sasuke, whose kisses were rough and possessive. The fact that she could compare kisses made her feel like a slut and she showered, feeling inherently unclean. No matter how she scrubbed, she could not rid her mind of the feeling of his lips brushing her cheek, or of Sasuke's hands on her body.

* * *

Sasuke left the training center, drenched in sweat and feeling slightly better about things. As he walked, he once again passed Sai. Having brushed off Sai's earlier comment as typical weirdness from Sai, he did not bother greeting the other man, though when their eyes met there was something in his expression that smacked of both guilt and defiance. His gut twisting, Sasuke hurried the rest of the way back to the apartment, not sure why he was suspecting anything.

The apartment was clean and tidy, though on the bed lay an open sketchbook that Sasuke recognized as Sai's. His blood boiling, he told himself to calm down. The shower was running in the bathroom, which meant Sakura was here. On her desk were piles and piles of paper, and Sasuke recalled Neji commenting pointedly on Sakura's recent workaholic attitude. Indeed, it seemed she had been combing over old reports, circling certain sentences and making notes in the margins. _I'll leave in a minute,_ he told himself, as he began looking through the sketchbook. Most of the drawings were of Sakura. They were pretty realistic, too, and it occurred to Sasuke that Sai had spent more time watching and sketching Sakura than anyone realized. There were half-finished sketches of her interspersed, usually of her lost in thought or laughing. He swallowed over a lump in his throat. Even he could admit that Sai's artistic talent was unsurpassable, and weren't girls always attracted to artists?

His heart jumped at the sound of the door opening and he dropped the sketchbook hastily as Sakura came into the room, wrapped in a towel, and let out a shriek of surprise when she saw Sasuke.

"Twice in one day," she muttered, letting out a sigh. He noticed that she was remaining near the bathroom door, unable to approach him. Her skin was flushed from the shower and he could see the swell of her décolletage over the edge of the towel. "So you decided to talk to me?" she asked warily. Sasuke said nothing. He hadn't expressly decided anything, only had the uncontrollable urge to see whether Sai had done something to-or with-Sakura.

"I saw Sai leaving," he accused, aware of how childish and petty he sounded. Sakura rolled her eyes, but blushed tellingly.

"He stopped by to say hi," she said in an exasperated tone, looking away. Anger flared up inside of him.

"Oh really? Do random guys always 'stop by to say hi' when you're showering? In case you forgot, we're married," he said coldly. He expected Sakura to be stung, but she only seemed angered by it.

"Could have fooled me," she retorted. "You have been ignoring me and everyone is noticing. Maybe we should just do this version of ourselves a favor and separate."

He hated himself for how much that comment hurt him.

"So you can go and sleep around?"

"That was unfair."

"Well, it was unfair to jab at me for trying to protect you from Sai and Sebastien's advances," he snapped. "But obviously you don't want protection from that. Obviously you just love the attention."

"If we want to talk about obvious things here, we might as well mention the fact that you weren't protecting anyone but yourself. You just don't want to ever feel any kind of rejection. And you know what? I don't blame you. It really sucked being knocked out and left on a bench in the middle of the night," Sakura hissed through clenched teeth.

"Will you ever let that go?" Why did it always have to come back to him leaving Konoha? He was angrier than he had been in a long time. Filled with frustration and the sense that Sakura was being entirely unfair, he felt he could have indeed destroyed all of Konoha. If only he had had the chidori here-the chidori had always been excellent for venting anger and frustration.

"Will you ever let revenge go?"

"You can't understand-" he began, but at the livid expression on Sakura's face, he stopped in his tracks. She was walking towards him, breathing through flared nostrils.

"If you _ever_ tell me I can't understand ever again, I will kill you." They were inches apart now, as Sakura glared up at Sasuke.

"I'd like to see you try," he said silkily. He was momentarily pleased with himself, though that was ruined when Sakura lunged for him. He caught her fists, and even through his anger he couldn't help but notice how the towel was dangerously close to falling off of her. Sakura seemed to notice where he was looking, because she moved to retract her fists and adjust the towel but he did not let go. He smirked down at her which she did not appreciate. He didn't want to admit that he was having a difficult time of holding her fists in place.

"I hate you," she whispered. Sasuke clenched his jaw.

"You said you loved me with all your heart," he reminded her. Why did her words hurt so much? It had hurt less to see Itachi wounded by Sasori.

"You're a child. You have no idea of what it feels like to love. All you can think about is revenge and your own hatred."

"I do know what love feels like," he spat. "You're the child here. Have you ever been tortured? Do you know what it feels like to have your own eyes removed without pain medication? Do you know how it feels to kill someone you love? You were willing to try and kill me, but at the last second, you _failed._ I think _you're_ a child."

Angry tears rolled down Sakura's cheeks, but he had silenced her momentarily.

"You always say the thing that will hurt the most," she said finally, her voice quavering. A fresh surge of rage rose up within him.

"So do you."

"Let me go," she said, and he released her fists, bracing himself for another attack, but it never came. She turned away, fixing the towel, and his rage was replaced by vicious desire as he saw her bare shoulder blades and the way the towel clung to her hips. He sucked in a breath as she grabbed some clothing and went into the bathroom, slamming the door loudly. Not ready to give up, and fueled by the painful urge to see more of her in that towel, Sasuke wrenched the door open just as she was removing the towel.

"Shut your eyes!" she ordered, but Sasuke did not do as told. He only stared her down, forcing himself to not let his gaze stray. Frantically she bent down and picked up the towel again, covering herself haphazardly. "Do not come any nearer to me, Sasuke, or you will not live to regret it." He was annoyed by her condescension, but it also heightened his desire to remove her towel.

"You really think you could stop me from getting that towel off you?" he was smirking now and it infuriated her. The truth was: he was right. If he had made up his mind to do something, he was going to do it, and was just going to be the way it was. The look in his eyes was distinctly predatory and she dearly wished for more clothing; she felt naked under his dark gaze.

"Y-yes, I could!" she persisted, though she was still backing away from him, clutching the towel. He raised an eyebrow and she hated herself for finding it to be such a sexy gesture. _He's bullying you! He knows your weaknesses! Don't give into him! Think: what are _his _weaknesses?_

She knew what they were, but she had already used that tactic. Back pressed against the wall, she could admit that she was cornered, though this was so different from being cornered by Sai. The memory of kissing Sasuke on the docks returned afresh and her cheeks flushed. Sasuke stalked towards her, a distinct expression of victory on his beautiful face, and she wondered what he had won and what she had lost. "I'm sorry," she surrendered, staring down at her bare feet. "I said some really mean things."

"You laughed when Rin asked you if we were over," he pointed out.

"I laughed because it was a complicated question," she said defensively.

"You kissed Sai."

"No, he kissed me. I didn't see it coming."

"Then you lied to me. You said he stopped by to say hi."

Sakura sighed. "I was really scared, okay? He had been sitting in the dark, waiting for me to return, and he cornered me and then left. I was freaking out so I took a shower. Happy?"

"No." He _hated_ Sai. He _hated_ him and he was going to _kill_ him.

"Please don't hurt him, Sasuke. It was just a kiss and I think he feels terrible about it," she pleaded.

"Oh, you think so? You really think he regrets a single thing? He's a guy. I'll bet that the only thing he regrets is not going further." He seemed so cold, so disgusted, that Sakura was at a loss.

"Is that how… how _you_ would feel?" she asked tentatively.

"Well, I wouldn't have cornered someone else's wife and attacked her like that, so no, it isn't how I would feel," he sneered.

"Then what are you doing right now?"

Silence passed between them as they stared at each other.

"The thing is," he began, drawing closer to her. He placed one hand on the wall behind her. "You're _my_ wife. And you attacked me too."

"But we didn't get married. I'm not _really_ your wife. It's just something we're playing along with," she reminded him. Sasuke laughed. It was harsh and echoed off the tiled walls.

"Playing along?" his voice was soft as he bent closer to her.

"Oh, right," she said sarcastically. "I forgot that you've been acting like a total asshole and ignoring me for the past few days. You're right, we're not playing along."

Sasuke was shocked by how much of a fight Sakura was putting up. She was not going to just let him do as he pleased, that was for certain. She was his equal now, unwilling to submit to his whims, and it was a strange sensation to feel on the same level as someone. He was used to having power over everyone else, save for Madara. Everyone did as he told them to, but Sakura was not bending to his will. He was trying to get her to say she had done something wrong, but she was clinging to the idea that he had started it.

"Uchiha Sasuke," she began, her eyes flinty. "If we are going to stay married, you are going to have to accept that other people have feelings, and you can't just shut everyone out of your life when you decide you don't feel like talking. We are a _team, _and until today, I thought we made a pretty good one. This is a contracted partnership, and you're a part of it."

She was looking enraged and a little bit scary, so he bit back the jibe about how they weren't doing one of the main things young married couples did. And yet, she was so cute when she was angry…scary, yes, but also cute…

"Okay, well, since babies are in the contract, can I take that towel off you?" he grinned devilishly and ducked out of the way, narrowly missing her fist.


	19. Side Story: Origins

Isekai

Author's Note: ****PLEASE READ THIS**** A lot of people asked about Sakura and Shikamaru's relationship, as well as the past of the Isekai!Sakura and Isekai!Sasuke. Well, here is part one. Note that this is not the ENTIRE history; that will come in another chapter once I have put the finishing touches on all of the fun :P Hope you guys like this chapter! Special thanks to BlueBlood4686, TrueFan31, and WingedMercury for your lovely messages! ALSO: This starts when Sakura and everyone are twelve.

Side Story: Origins

"Don't worry, you'll like it here. I promise." The Hyuuga boy's voice, unnaturally deep for his age, was the first soothing noise Sakura had heard all day and she straightened up, embarrassed, wiping bile from her mouth with the back of her hand. The sun shone brightly, as it perpetually did in Gaulin, but Sakura longed for the fog and mist of Milia, the country she had called home for as long as she could remember.

"I can't do this. I wasn't meant to be a soldier," she whispered, slumping against the outer wall of the academy. The Hyuuga boy (he had those milky white eyes that only the Hyuuga royalty had) of her own age (twelve) with long, straight coffee colored hair regarded her, apparently unfazed by the vomit near their feet.

"Except for the fact that you beat even _Itachi_ on the aptitude tests and the orphanage said you were really brave and nervy. Yes, very unconvincing evidence that you don't belong here," he said sarcastically. Sakura noticed he was rolling his eyes at her. "Itachi Uchiha is a genius, by the way. He's a child prodigy. And even if your athletic scores aren't great, we have enough brawn around here anyway. You're_ brilliant._ I'm still mad that you beat me too. Before you came along, Itachi and I were tied." The boy sounded genuinely pissed off, and crossed his arms, heaving a long-suffering sigh.

"It must have been an accident," she mumbled, covering her face with her hands and feeling the bile rise up again inside of her. She'd been nauseated all day, and at the entrance ceremony, she had nearly fainted on stage. A month ago, a portly man named Erlin Novia came calling at the orphanage where she had lived in Milia all her life. She found out later that one of the heads of the orphanage had called the Gaulin Academy, for Sakura was getting too old to live at the orphanage, but was intelligent enough that military work was a possibility. Novia had given her a series of strange tests that Sakura had been sure she'd failed, and within a few weeks she was on a plane to this place, her entire life packed into one ratty duffle bag. When she had arrived, there had been whispers all around her; it was a big secret that she had beat Itachi's aptitude score, so naturally everyone in the academy knew about it.

She had briefly met this famed Itachi, who was about twenty and carelessly handsome, with long black hair tied loosely at the nape of his neck and dark eyes that crinkled at the corners with humor. He hardly radiated any arrogance or self-importance as most in his place would have done, and instead there was something about him that bespoke great wisdom and intelligence.

"Of course, Itachi took his aptitude tests when he was like six…..but I mean, he was raised to go here. Oh, by the way, I'm Neji. I'm also an orphan," Neji said, holding out a hand for Sakura to shake. Sakura got the impression that this Neji was not normally this kind or generous. She shook it weakly, feeling guilty for having thrown up in front of a good-looking boy. Her cheeks flushed hotly and Neji raised one eyebrow. "You're not taking this very well. Anyone else would be pleased."

She didn't have a response for that, but apparently, Neji did not require one. He'd found her out here after the ceremony, clutching the wall and emptying her stomach behind a bush. He'd been keeping her company since then, and Sakura was grateful.

"Sorry for throwing up. Nerves and all," she explained. Neji shrugged.

"You should see my cousin Hinata. Anytime anyone looks at her, there's a good chance she'll faint. Before I came here my job was to catch her when this happened…" he trailed off, lost in thought. There was a flash of true melancholy, but then as quick as it had come it was gone. Sakura gaped.

"Your cousin Hinata? As in, _Princess _Hinata?"

Neji looked sullen. "Well, she probably won't be my cousin soon. I get this feeling every time I go back that I'm going to be banished…." Sakura was in shock again.

"Why on earth would they _banish_ you?" An image of Neji repeatedly missing an unconscious Princess Hinata as she fell came to mind and she giggled. "Sorry, I was just picturing you getting banished because you weren't good at catching her when she faints," she explained. Neji scoffed.

"Excuse me, I happen to have a one hundred percent success rate in catching Hinata. Actually, I'll probably be banished because I decided to go to Gaulin's academy. No big loss there; Hiashi killed my father so I'm not his biggest fan."

Sakura could only stare at Neji as he casually relayed his horrific life story to her. "….Why would he _kill_ him?"

"I suppose he found it great sport. Hiashi isn't exactly _sane._" Neji's already disdainful voice dripped with disgust. "Anyway," he looked up again, having expertly hidden his distress. "Come on and I'll show you around." With that, he gripped her upper arm and pulled her away from the wall. For years to come, she would always silently thank Neji, for it was he who had given her a true place at the academy and helped her out of the shell that she would have never left otherwise. She would forever regard Neji as her first and best friend.

-Two Years Later-

Itachi's little brother had been kicked out of the Fleurian Academy for what had been described as 'rule-breaking' (whatever that meant) and now he was seated next to her in her advanced battle theory class. Normally she paid rapt attention to the instructor, a young and fragile looking woman named Rin, but she could not pry her eyes or mind from Itachi's little brother. He was her age and was exponentially handsomer than anyone she had ever met in her life. Everyone else seemed to agree, for all of the girls were sneaking obtrusively obvious glances at this Sasuke Uchiha.

Sasuke seemed oblivious to the stares and was staring out the window, not even bothering to take notes. Apparently the Fleurian Academy was the most elite academy anyone could attend, and despite Sasuke's rebellious behavior, he had been a top student there. This lesson was most likely old hat to him. Sakura noticed he occasionally looked back to his notes to attend to a rather detailed drawing of a hovercycle that he had done across the page. Like his older brother, Sasuke had an air of carelessness to him. His uniform was not quite as neat as it should have been: he had left the top few buttons of his shirt open, displaying a white undershirt underneath that contrasted beautifully with his skin.

"Ugh. I am so tired of all the girls being obsessed with that tool," Neji grumbled after class had let out as he and Sakura walked to the training center for their usual daily spar before lunch. "I can hardly hear Rin anyway, and those idiotic girls giggling isn't really helping."

"Yeah, dunno why anyone would be interested in him," Sakura said dazedly, gazing at Sasuke's retreating back. All the boys were trying to emulate the way Sasuke carried his backpack; one strap slung over his shoulder disinterestedly as though he had forgotten he was carrying a bag at all. Their attempts at this were even less successful than their attempts to emulate his wild hairstyle.

"I mean, _look_ at him. His head looks like a chicken's ass," Neji continued, gesturing to Sasuke.

"Definitely."

"He's too pretty to be a soldier. I bet he can't spar to save his life. And he isn't actually good-looking."

"Totally…" as Sasuke disappeared round a corner, the spell was broken and Sakura snapped back to reality. Neji was staring at her shrewdly and she wanted to shrink under his gaze. "He's, uh, really ugly."

"You like him." his tone, so accusatory, was unbearable. Still, there was no point in hiding it from Neji, who knew her better than anyone did. She sighed, her shoulders slumping.

"Look, I'm not blind, okay? You might think he's ugly, but in reality he's essentially a perfect specimen."

"Most girls say that about me," Neji retorted huffily. It was true: Neji was a stunning guy even at fourteen. Sakura was often asked if she and Neji were involved. There was always a jealous note in their voices that was both pleasing and bewildering to Sakura. She and Neji were just friends and would always just be friends. Still no one hated being the cause of jealousy and Sakura was common in this way.

"Yes Neji, you're very handsome too," she said placatingly, patting his arm. Neji rolled his eyes. Sometimes he reminded her of a girl perpetually on her period.

"You just don't know any good guys. That Kiba is a retard-"

"How many times do I have to tell you that's an offensive word and I don't want you to say it around me?" interrupted Sakura exasperatedly. As usual, Neji ignored her.

"And Itachi's too old for you. That Gaara is really freaking weird and always looks like his puppy just died or something….Let's see, who else? Oh, right, me, but I'm too good for you."

"Especially with your humility," Sakura teased as they set their bags down and began to train.

"And my good looks and charm," Neji added, dodging a kick from Sakura. "That Sebastian guy-he's a first year-is always looking at you, but I'm going to be a good friend and assume you aren't a pedophile."

"Gee, thanks. It warms my heart that you think so highly of me," Sakura said dryly.

"Essentially, we just need to introduce you to someone who isn't a total waste of space-see: Sasuke."

"Something tells me you have someone in mind…."

"Well, Tenten knows him too. And he saw a picture of you and said you were really cute. I told him the picture was _very_ flattering but when I described what you are like, he seemed really intrigued. And let me tell you, it takes _a lot_ to get this guy intrigued by anything. When Tenten mentioned that she thought you guys would make a good match, I realized she was right."

Sakura took a break from sparring to glower at Neji.

"Besides the fact that you basically told him I'm ugly, why are you setting me up?" She was also not going to mention the fact that Tenten was madly in love with Neji and followed him around like she was getting paid to do it. It was sometimes a bit irritating: when she and Neji were trying to hang out and do homework, Tenten would be hanging around, bugging them to the point where little work got done. Neji, of course, was entirely oblivious to Tenten's advances and seemed to be under the impression that Tenten was trying to steal homework answers from them. This was a moot point seeing as Tenten was in none of their classes.

"It wasn't a goal or anything. We just thought it'd work." Neji shrugged. "He goes to the Fleurian Academy. His name is Shikamaru…he's ridiculously smart but also ridiculously lazy. I think you guys would really get along is all."

Flattered by the fact that she would likely get along with a genius from the FLeurian Academy, and also hopeful that meeting this Shikamaru guy might put her closer to Sasuke, Sakura conceded on what was to be masked as a double date with him and Neji and Tenten.

"It's going to be arranged as a double date, only no one is supposed to know it was worked out that way," Neji explained later that week as they walked to the entrance of the academy, where they were to meet Tenten.

"First of all, isn't it a little obvious, considering there will be four of us? Second of all, I hope you made it _very clear _to Tenten that this isn't actually a date for you guys."

"Sakura, I don't know why you insist that Tenten likes me. She is clearly jealous of our high grades and is trying to thwart her fate of failing out of school and becoming a maid by stealing our answers and copying them."

"But she's not in any of our classes!"

"That's what you think, Sakura," Neji said knowingly. Their argument ended abruptly when Sasuke stormed by, his hands shoved in his pockets, with the typical trail of girls behind him, whispering and giggling. As usual, Sasuke gave no evidence that he knew there was a gaggle of girls hot on his trail, and instead looked lost in his thoughts. He was frowning and looking at the ground as though it had personally offended him in some way.

"Out of my way, idiots," he hissed when they crossed paths. Making a great show of ducking away from them, he left Sakura and Neji standing there feeling slightly perturbed.

"Oh, good one, he's an asshole too," Neji said in fake-delight. "Girls love assholes!"

"Explains your popularity," Sakura mumbled, her face feeling hot. She felt self-conscious in her pink dress-why did she like that thing? Even Neji said it was too girly for her-and her hair, which was frizzing in the summer humidity and had been haphazardly pushed back by a green headband. She heard Neji slap his forehead.

"Sakura, you look _great._ Stop worrying just because Sas-gay showed up." He began pulling her toward the entrance, where they could pick out Tenten standing by a fountain.

"But maybe I should go back and change, I mean, it's not really an attractive outfit for the date…"

"Maybe," Neji began, speaking with such a high amount of condescension that Sakura felt humiliated, "you should take interest in the people who will like you for the wonderful person you actually are, and not assholes that order you to get out of their way."

Neji, unfortunately, had a good point. Why was she interested in Sasuke? He had never shown any indication that he liked her at all-in fact, just now had been the first time he had spoken to her. "Come on, Sakura. Shikamaru is a really quality guy."

The thing he hadn't told her was that Shikamaru was nearly as attractive as Sasuke. When they reached the city of Gaulin, he was leaning against the wall of the restaurant they were going to, smoking a cigarette and staring upwards at the twilit sky. He had thick dark hair pulled into a topknot and earrings glinted in his ears. He was wearing standard-issue combat boots, but paired them with black jeans and a black shirt. The Fleurian Academy's logo was emblazoned on the short sleeves, and it wasn't until they got closer that Sakura realized the logo had been infused with blue LEDs, making the crests glow slightly. The most intriguing thing about him were his eyes, which were black but twinkled with intelligence. For the first time in her life, Sakura felt heat spread through her as she realized this Shikamaru was…_sexy._

"Shikamaru!" Neji sounded pleased to see him, and Tenten was still gazing lovingly at Neji. "This is Sakura." After he and Shikamaru had shaken each other's hands, Shikamaru glanced at Sakura.

"H-hey," she stammered, her cheeks growing pink. Shikamaru felt-and looked-older than fourteen. He looked too cool to be standing there with her, appraising her as though she were actually an attractive girl. _But that isn't possible,_ she reminded herself. _Because I'm _not_ pretty. _At that moment, the memory of Sasuke snarling at her to get out of his way washed up, and her anger gave her a sort of confidence. _Neji's right. I deserve a great guy, right? _

"Hey." Shikamaru's cigarette hung in his mouth as he continued to look at her. "I heard you beat Neji and Itachi in the aptitude tests. Why aren't you at EFA?" EFA stood for the Elite Fleurian Academy, of course. Sakura shrugged.

"Probably not smart enough-"

"Nah, you're probably there the same reason Itachi and Neji are there. EFA doesn't give out scholarships, and your headmaster Novia is rabid about getting the cream of the crop before EFA finds out," Shikamaru reasoned, looking upwards in thought.

"Anyway, we should go inside. I'm hungry!" Tenten piped up. Neji made a show of rolling his eyes and scoffing, and Sakura met Shikamaru's eyes. Something jumped in her stomach as a knowing look passed between them, and she gave him her most genuine smile. In that moment, she was sure that Shikamaru knew perfectly well this was just a set up. She was also sure that she liked Shikamaru just as much as he liked her.

Inside the restaurant, it was packed, and the four of them slid into a booth on the second floor, which was more of a loft than an actual second floor. The restaurant was entirely lit by candlelit, giving it a romantic feel, but according to Tenten (who knew these kinds of things) it was an extremely hip restaurant and was the 'cool' place to go in Gaulin's city. Sakura slid in next to Shikamaru and blushed when her bare leg brushed his denim-covered one. _He probably didn't even notice it._ And yet, for all of dinner, his leg was pressed firmly against hers. Her skin prickled with goosebumps. She liked how secretly forward he was. As Neji and Tenten bickered, she felt like she was a lit-up city, buzzing with energy yet inexplicably calm. It was their secret that they were hitting it off right away. _So this is what it feels like to have an attractive guy like you._

Three hours later, her heart pounding, Sakura made her way back to her dormer by herself, as she had made excuses for Neji to walk Tenten back to hers. Shikamaru had, of course, to return to Fleuria, and Sakura had never been so sad to see someone go. She had entirely forgotten about Sasuke, as she walked back to her dorm with Shikamaru's comm address scrawled on a napkin that she clung to with her fist, but was rudely reminded when she passed by the hangar and heard a loud bang followed by an oath that she'd only heard Neji say _once._ And that was after he had nearly cut off his hand in Application of Battle Strategies.

The hangar should have been empty, for it was quite late on a Friday night. She poked her head in to find none other than Sasuke himself, sitting on a block of wood next to a hovercycle and clutching his foot, growling in pain.

"What." he demanded when he saw her standing there. Sakura flushed, but it was with irritation.

"I just was checking to make sure you were okay, jerk," she snapped before she could stop herself. Both she and Sasuke seemed equally surprised by the insult. "I'm sorry. Lost my temper. What happened?" she said remorsefully, moving to stand inside the hangar. He was clad in his uniform pants and boots, with his uniform top discarded and leaving his white short sleeved undershirt. It was covered in grease from working on his hovercycle. Sasuke glowered at her, still clutching his foot.

"Dented the steel toe of my boot with that fucking drill," he grumbled, ripping off his boot and massaging a black sock-covered foot. Sakura remembered the drawing in his notebook of his hovercycle.

"Wow, you must really like hovercycles," she said. "I saw you drawing one in Rin's class." She tried to ignore how cute and boyish he looked, but remembered the pure sexiness that Shikamaru radiated and promptly forgot how attractive Sasuke was.

"Gee, you are just as smart as they say you are," he said nastily. Anger dawned on her again.

"Look, I'm just trying to make conversation-"

"Yeah yeah, that's what all the girls say. I saw you drooling over me." Something exploded in Sakura's brain and she truly lost her temper.

"Actually," she hissed, "I am seeing a guy who is way sexier than _you, _Mr. Chicken-Ass head, and didn't get kicked out of EFA. And I was just trying to be nice because I noticed you have no friends. Obviously you don't want them so I'll just be on my way!" She turned on the heel of her sandal and began to storm away, but Sasuke's voice stopped her.

"You're seeing someone from EFA? Who?" he sounded genuinely intrigued and Sakura wondered if he missed the place.

"None of your business," she snapped, and continued storming out, feeling immensely pleased with herself. She immediately messaged Neji with the story, who said he'd even deign to high-five her the next time he saw her. _Wittle Sakuwa is all gwown up! She finally sees that good-looking people aren't always good on the inside!_ His message read. Sakura chuckled at that one before entering her dormer and getting dressed for bed. She couldn't resist messaging Shikamaru, even though she had always been told by her various surrogate mother figures that the guy should always be the first one to message after a date. Fueled by the indignant courage that her interaction with Sasuke had given her, she lay on her bed and typed: _I had an awesome time tonight, and it had something to do with the sexy guy sitting on my right. _She addressed it to Shikamaru, and hit send before she could stop herself. Almost immediately, he sent back: _wait, my right or your right? :) _ She let out a giggle, not knowing that Sasuke's dormer happened to be on the other side of the wall, and he heard every time the comm beeped with a new message, and every time she let out a laugh. She also didn't know that Sasuke had vowed to find out who this guy was, even though he couldn't fathom _why_ the _hell_ he cared.


	20. Side Story: Resistance

Isekai

Author's Note: Yes, this is another Origins continuum chapter. This chapter focuses on Itachi. It explains key plot points, so it's important to read it if you want to understand what's happening.

Side Story: Resistance

"Some day, you will save the world, Itachi," Mikoto cooed sycophantically, stroking Itachi's long black hair out of his eyes. She had once offered to cut it when he was little and he had refused, and since then, to him his long untidy hair was a symbol of the power he held over his parents. Even his father practically kowtowed to him-everyone did. He was only fifteen, but was already world famous and worshiped by everyone who knew him. Yet at the moment, he cared little about the affection of everyone, save for the culprit of his heartsickness. His mother placed a kiss on his head after she was satisfied his hair was flattened onto his head, and stepped back to admire him. He was wearing the dress uniform appropriate for the Gaulin Academy Specialized Task Force members. While his mother had initially been disappointed that he had refused to go to his parents' alma mater, the Elite Fleurian Academy, she had gotten over her disappointment when she had realized how he had gotten his chance to truly stand out at Gaulin. Fleuria's academy was known for the high caliber of intelligence of its students, while Gaulin's students were street-savvy, daring, and nervy.

Behind his mother sat Sasuke, eight years old and petulant, swinging his legs and glaring at the floor. Every time Mikoto attempted to fix Sasuke's hair, he reached up and automatically mussed it again. Itachi couldn't fight the smile that spread across his face. The only person who could make him forget about his heartsickness was Sasuke. In any other family, Sasuke, with his incredible intelligence and strong personality, would have shone like a star. But next to Itachi, few could compete. Impatiently brushing his mother's hand away, Itachi crouched down next to Sasuke.

"Can't wait to see you in this uniform. You got Mom's features; you'll look better in it, kiddo." He cuffed Sasuke on the back of his head and Sasuke let a cheeky grin slip out. It was true: Sasuke had inherited Mikoto's genes, which were aesthetically superior to Fugaku's. Mikoto was tall for a woman and had smooth ivory skin, thick, full ebony hair that gleamed blue in the sunlight, setting off her dark eyes that glittered like the night sky. Her jaw was perhaps a little stronger than desired for a woman, but on her it was striking. Her nose was straight and aristocratic. Mikoto looked like she came from generations of wealth, which she did. Despite having a similarly desirable lineage, Fugaku was stocky, with skin that lined prematurely and flyaway hair that was already quite gray. His skin went ruddy easily, like that of a peasant. Still, he was considered handsome and carried himself in such a way that he was intimidating to most people. Physically, Itachi took after him. Even now, he noticed he had bags under his eyes.

Sasuke's impossibly dark eyes roved over Itachi's uniform, taking in the various ribbons and medals he had already received.

"Mom wants me to go to Fleuria," he confided sourly. Itachi grinned.

"We're not like mom and dad. We belong out there on the field, don't we?" Sasuke nodded vigorously and Itachi rose to his feet, Mikoto fussing that his uniform was wrinkled. As soon as he looked away from Sasuke, it was like the sun had been turned off, and his mind returned with haste to the subject of his suffering.

Today was the ceremony to induct Itachi into the Specialized Task Force. It should have been a celebration, but Itachi felt about as celebratory as if someone had died. Indeed, a part of himself had died, and it was with glum indifference that he looked upon the academy ballroom, trussed up to receive the guests and families of the appointed members. In years later, when he had become much wiser, Itachi would recognize that even he had not been able to evade the self-absorption of adolescence. At the time, he had felt like no one could possibly understand how he felt. His gaze roamed over the rows and rows of golden collapsable chairs, unable to stop himself from searching for _her. _

And there she was, sitting towards the back of the ballroom, a veritable work of art. Her painted lips formed a hint of a smile, her heavy-lidded eyes drinking him in. How could eyes be so wise and yet so sultry like hers were? Most women might have attempted to hide such facial features, but she exaggerated them, painting dark purple on the lids and plucking her eyebrows to thin lines. She always looked bored. Indeed she stuck out like a sore thumb, with her blue hair and heavy makeup. Konan was originally from Milia, a foggy, misty placed where jewel-toned hair was common, and she had been sold to Camillei as a prostitute. This was the fate of most Milian girls, for Milia was an extremely poor country. On either side of her were the two men who had done everything in their power to prevent him from getting close to her, and a burning hatred filled Itachi as he stared at Nagato and Yahiko. Nagato's eyes were mournful, Yahiko's steely and unfeeling. Usually Nagato, like Konan, seemed indifferent to everything around him. Likewise, usually Yahiko was cheery and good humored (except for around Itachi). Why did they seem so off today? Konan was as unchanging and stolid as ever, but she was a true master of her own emotions, like most skilled escorts.

The audience fell silent as Novia, the headmaster of Gaulin Academy, began to speak. Next to him he felt Kakashi, who was a few years older than him, brush his forearm.

"Pay attention," he murmured quietly. "This is one of the most important moments of our lives." Itachi liked Kakashi, with his prematurely silver hair and easy-going nature, but right now he disagreed with the older boy vehemently. This was _not_ even a slightly significant moment, though as years passed, Itachi came to agree with Kakashi, though for reasons unknown to Kakashi.

Hungrily he watched as Nagato and Yahiko slipped their hands into Konan's. People around them seemed unable to stop themselves from turning to look at the trio that so clearly did not belong here.

_Konan… please…. _he begged to whatever higher spirit that she would break free from her captors and run to him. They'd run away, to a far off land, and live together forever. He was young enough at this point to have enough arrogance to think that Konan should feel lucky that he, the famous Itachi Uchiha, should want to share his life with her, a lowly prostitute. Whenever he imagined eloping with her, however, Sasuke would flash in his mind, and he would realize that he had his own captors too. He would never leave Sasuke alone.

The bottom line was that Nagato and Yahiko were not her captors so much as her protectors, and deep down, despite his hopes and arrogance, he knew that he and Konan would never be together.

After the ceremony, he found Konan standing in the shadows behind the stage. He could not see Yahiko and Nagato, but that did not mean they were not near. The other newly appointed members of the task force were already milling about the ballroom with their families, so they were quite alone here.

"I need to tell you something important," she said quickly. For once, there was an air of urgency about her, and Itachi was filled with fear. He moved to step closer to her, but Konan stepped back, further into the shadows, panels of golden light from the ballroom sliding across her beautiful face. She held a hand up. Absently he noticed her fingernails were jeweled with tiny aquamarine gems, making them glitter briefly. She drew in a breath. "Your father is in trouble again. Nagato heard it from a contact he has."

A calm settled over Itachi. His father was constantly consorting with the wrong people. Uchiha was an old family name, and an influential one, especially since his family was purely Uchiha blood. His mother and father had been second cousins. Many people were interested in his father, and dimly he knew that his father's inability to keep himself out of mucky politics would keep Itachi in the business of saving his family forever. "It's the Hyuugas this time too. And a man named Minato Uzumaki."

"I don't understand," Itachi confessed, though his mind was working at light-speed. The Hyuugas-royalty of Chun Wu-were people to be watched. Highly ambitious, they would have been happiest with owning the entire southern hemisphere of the planet, if not the entire world. Hiashi Hyuuga was a scary man, and the history of his family was splattered with blood. He'd do anything-even team up with the Camilleians, who were considered by his people to be barbarians-if it meant more power for him. But where did Fugaku and this man, Minato Uzumaki, fit in to the picture? His only guess was that it was contestable as to who was the true owner of Chun Wu-the Uchiha clan, who had been there first, or the Hyuuga clan, who were infinitely more vicious and ambitious. The clan leader before Fugaku had wisely decided it was the position of the Uchiha clan that Chun Wu belonged to Hyuuga. Still, tensions mounted with every interaction between the two.

"You're young. Of course you don't understand," Konan said offhandedly, painfully reminding him that she was five years older than him. Her jewel-like eyes met his and chills ran up his spine. "Minato Uzumaki is the leader of a small village that designs weapons. Chun Wu buys these weapons. Minato Uzumaki has been feeding information to Fleuria and its allies about Chun Wu in the hopes of stopping them."

Everything clicked into place and Itachi ran his hand through his hair, not realizing he was messing his hair just as Sasuke always did. So he was wrong-Fugaku was associating with the _right_ people this time.

"Minato and my dad are contacts," he confirmed. Konan nodded slightly, waiting for him to speak more. "My dad's got a lot of sway in the Fleurian government. Emperor Hiashi knows this, and is planning to off my dad and destroy Minato Uzumaki as well as his village, so that no one who knows how to construct these weapons is left alive."

Konan smiled, her painted lips gleaming in the light. This comforted Itachi slightly, whose heart was now racing with the prospect that his father would likely die soon if he didn't move fast. His mother and Sasuke would also likely be killed.

"I'm going to help you. I have more power than you think," Konan stated calmly. Itachi scoffed.

"I know very well of the power you have," he reminded her. Konan was entirely captivating, which was why she was a favored prostitute of more elite men….men like Hiashi Hyuuga.

"No one would suspect me. I'm just a whore," she said with a cold smile. "Emperor Hiashi plans to see me tomorrow. I will strike then. In the meantime, Yahiko and Nagato are going to patrol your family home and watch over your family."

"Why are they helping me?"

"Because they believe in something bigger than themselves. And I…" she leaned forward, her lips brushing his cheek, "care about you." Hope-painful, searing hope-roared in Itachi's chest, and he could not resist returning to their usual disagreement.

"Konan…we could go, we could be together-"

"You're too young, Itachi," she said firmly. "I don't care about you in the way that you want me to. We discussed this..." She paused, her eyes glittering. "…Besides, you would never leave your brother like that and you know it. I have an unbreakable contract…and you love your family too much."

She was right. Before Itachi could do or say any more, she had disappeared into the shadows. He thought he heard Nagato's voice, but his heart clenched so painfully that he turned and reentered the cheer and celebration of the ballroom. Sasuke darted up to him, his expression dark.

"Where were you?" he demanded. Itachi smiled and moved to ruffle Sasuke's hair, but Sasuke batted his hand away, scowling. "You have secret friends," he accused. Itachi was frozen by how quickly Sasuke caught on to things.

"You're absolutely right, Sasuke, but I can't explain right now," he said, trying to hide the weariness in his voice.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't know anything myself quite yet," he said honestly. Sasuke, so perceptive to liars, nodded, understanding Itachi was telling the truth.

"Okay. Come on, let's go find Mom. She's worried," Sasuke said, turning to run through the crowd back to Mikoto and Fugaku. Itachi sighed before pasting on a grin and striding towards his parents. Fugaku and Mikoto knew little of how Itachi had saved their lives years ago, though already Sasuke was smart enough to know that something was going wrong. Sasuke had been a toddler at the time when Itachi had gotten wind of Hyuuga supporters wanting to pillage the Uchiha estate. He'd gotten the extended Uchiha clan moved in time, feigning worry of a hurricane. Still, even then, Sasuke had been surprisingly perceptive.

His mother, teary eyed over the great honor he had received, had already forgotten his momentary disappearance. Itachi wanted to feel excited, but his grief-due to his unrequited love with Konan, due to Nagato and Yahiko's willingness to sacrifice themselves, due to his father's sudden desire to do something _good_ that could ultimately end his family-weighed down on him with such gravity that he felt like he had been turned to stone. He looked on at his father in a new light now, and though it was filled with pride, it was also filled with exasperation and disappointment. _Why must you perpetually think you are smart and capable enough to do these things? Fool._

When they returned to the house outside of Verda Linda that Itachi had moved them to six years ago, he caught a flash of Yahiko's orange hair. Sasuke looked up at him, frowning. "There are people here," he mouthed at him from behind their parents' backs. Itachi nodded almost imperceptibly.

"I'll tell you all about that stuff later," Itachi said loudly. Mikoto glanced back.

"Oh, Sasuke darling, you're not going to Gaulin to join that task force!" Mikoto said immediately, falling for the ploy like he had known she would. Sasuke seemed to understand what he had done, because he did an excellent job of schooling his features into a petulant glower.

"Whatever," he said sulkily. Itachi had to hide his grin in a cough. Sasuke was born to be an adolescent. Filled with love for his brother, he ruffled the youngest Uchiha's hair as he usually did, and Sasuke smirked. There was nothing that Sasuke liked more than Itachi's attention. Itachi retired to his room, trying to shake off the feeling that he was about to become something like a sacrificial lamb.

* * *

Later that night, after meeting Yahiko not too far from the house and getting the full explanation, he sought out his father, who stood out on the second-floor deck that overlooked the sea. It was around midnight and lacy clouds swept past the pearl-like moon. It was reflected on the water, which was just excited enough to be dotted with little whitecaps. Fugaku turned in surprise when Itachi approached him. Keenly he was aware that Sasuke had followed them, remaining hidden behind the door. There was nothing he could do about that now-if Sasuke wanted to find out what was going on, he would do it. Itachi knew he couldn't stop him, so he didn't bother trying. Briefly he thought of how clear it was that his little brother belonged at Gaulin and _not_ Fleuria's academy, but he pushed it aside for now.

"You must break contact with Minato if you want to keep us all alive," he said without preface. Fugaku looked hardly surprised. _At least he's smart enough to know I'm smarter than him,_ Itachi thought. "What you're doing is good, but it's not your job and you're leaving a painfully obvious trail in your wake."

"Minato and I are going to stop Hiashi," Fugaku said defiantly, "and then we're going to take back Chun Wu and rule it together as a peaceful place."

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Itachi said, stepping closer. "Except that Hiashi and his allies already know what you're doing, and they're going to stop you. Every move you make from here on out costs you more and more. I have the opportunity to save you, but you have to cooperate." It felt strange to be negotiating with his father, and something like sadness fluttered in Itachi's chest.

"You're just a kid. You don't know or understand-" Fugaku began, but stopped abruptly.

"You're the one who doesn't understand. You and mom and Sasuke will die by the end of the week, even with my protection, if you go on with your plans. After that, the rest of the clan will be killed. You're nearsighted."

"How can you be sure of all this?" Fugaku looked shaken but was still stubborn like an ox. Itachi remained calm; calmness was important at times like these.

"A lot of reasons. But if you don't stop now, I will kill you myself. You will not endanger our family like this," he said evenly. Fugaku's jaw dropped, but before he could say anything, Itachi turned and walked back into the house, shutting the deck door behind him. Sasuke, stony faced, stood there.

"I'll protect mom," was all he said before turning and sitting outside Mikoto and Fugaku's room, where Mikoto was asleep. Itachi nodded, and bent down, kissing Sasuke on the top of his head before returning to his room. He was not going to sleep, however. There was far too much to do. Worry over his family drove out the heartbreak Konan had inflicted on him.

He prepared a spare hoverboard they kept, and when he stepped on it, the light around the edges glowed blood red. With a grimace, Itachi began the trek to Minato Uzumaki's village, nodding to Nagato who had expertly hidden himself in a tree by the house. He knew little of Nagato and Yahiko's abilities, but if Konan trusted them, he knew he could. He would not have to worry about Mikoto and Sasuke, at least for tonight. Yahiko and Nagato did not know what Konan was planning, and Itachi wondered what exactly she was going to do.

The village was south of Milia. As dawn broke, it was already warm and balmy here, and sweat stuck his shirt to his back. Yahiko had said that this Minato lived in the very center of the village, as he was the leader of it. The village was devoted to the working of copper and brass, and even though the villagers lived a fairly primitive life, their machinery was startlingly advanced. Because of the time difference, it was already early morning and the people were milling about, going on with their morning business. The houses were squat, round huts with thatched roofs. Colorful gardens spilled out of the low brass gates and onto the edges of the dirt paths that wove unevenly about the village. On a porch that circled Minato's dwelling sat a woman with long, wild red hair, a blonde child of about Sasuke's age playing in the garden nearby. The woman looked very pregnant, and it struck Itachi that she would likely die before giving birth. He hovered many feet above the village, observing as a tall blonde man-probably Minato-stepped out of the tiny house. He said something to the woman, and they both laughed. _I have to get him alone…_ but Minato sat down in a chair opposite the woman, and began doing something with his hands. _There isn't enough time…I'll just have to do it now. _He swept downward, landing outside of the village. His hoverboard retracted into itself, turning into a simple silver disk, and he strode decisively towards their home, looking braver than he felt.

"Hey you! Who are you!" the child's voice was not unfriendly, but it was certainly demanding. Minato and his wife looked up at their son's voice and Minato's face brightened with understanding.

"Ah, I know exactly who you are," he said with a grin, stretching out his long legs and standing up to greet him. "Itachi?"

"Yes, and you're Minato," Itachi said impatiently. "There is no time for pleasantries; can we move inside?" his jaw set, he regarded Minato, trying to telepathically convey the importance of time here. Minato's expression hardened and he nodded.

"Come inside," he said shortly. The child ran up to the porch.

"Me too! I'm coming too!" he said, moving to run inside, but his mother caught him.

"Oh no you aren't, Naruto! Daddy needs to talk to his friend!" Her voice was melodic but chastising, though it did little to quell her son's insistence that he join them. Before he could further cause a scene, Itachi stepped up onto the porch, motioning for Minato to go inside. Once they were inside, Minato shut the door and pulled down the shades. The house was a single circular room, entirely shabby and too humid for Itachi. Still, he recognized the love that permeated the home. Minato was a good father, he could tell.

"Your father doesn't know you're here, I take it," Minato said, pulling out a rickety stool for Itachi to sit on.

"Oh, I'm sure he has some idea," Itachi said with a blase wave of his hand. "But that's irrelevant. I have already confronted him, and now I must confront you. If you want your family and village to survive, you must cease whatever you are planning now. I'm telling you this because I have inside information, and I do not want to see innocent lives lost."

Minato's eyes became flinty.

"We're doing something important here. You know, my real surname is Namikaze. The Namikaze family was once very important-"

"I don't care. You can't stand up to Hiashi Hyuuga's empire-"

"We build his weapons. We know him well. What makes you think we can't stop him?" Minato interrupted, his eyes flashing with determination. "You see how Milia lives. This village is the only one that is not slowly starving to death…We're going hungry, but we haven't started eating our own children for food yet. Take a walk around the country sometime, and your privileged eyes will be met with horrors you can't even imagine." Minato was not being insolent, merely passionate. Itachi recognized this and did not take offense at his words.

"Gaulin's academy has spent a lot of time and money trying to help your country. I have seen some of the horrors you have suffered. Really, I have. But if you think it's bad now, wait until after you try to resist Emperor Hiashi. You will likely be dead, and if your wife and son survive, your wife will be imprisoned and trafficked as a concubine-at _best_- and your son will die before he turns ten years old. You are so outnumbered in skill, defenses, and weaponry compared to the Hyuuga that it is _comical._"

Minato's mouth was set in a thin line.

"How do you know? I can't just give up hope," he continued, clenching his fists. "Have you seen the way my son's ribs stick out even through his shirt? Have you seen the way Chun Wu soldiers trundle through our country?"

Itachi sighed heavily, massaging the bridge of his nose.

"My first mission at Gaulin was to dig a mass burial site for all of the people in the southern villages who had died in the past three months, because the people who were left were too weak to do it. We gave them food, but it's too difficult to supply them with enough resources to get back on their feet. Most of the women had been raped to death and the men had either starved or killed themselves just to end the pain. I saw a lot, and I know you suffer even here, at the most profitable place in Milia. But I'm telling you…" he paused, "…for the _last time,_ that if you do not stop here, it will only get worse."

Minato was silent. Outside, Naruto's laughter could be heard, followed by his mother's. Itachi felt sick to his stomach. He understood how Minato felt, and he would have given almost anything to make it better. "I want to help you out," he added, rising to his feet. "I have a little brother about your son's age who I would do anything to protect. I'm telling you now, even though it's hard to hear: if I were you, and had what you have, I would stop trying to organize a resistance. It will crumble under the Emperor, and your son and wife will suffer in ways you will not live to see."

He turned, unable to exist amidst the unbearable pain that he knew Minato must be feeling, and moved to leave, but Minato spoke up again.

"I _can't_ turn back," he said. Itachi looked back at him, nodding.

"I understand that too. I'll try to do anything I can to make the end result better for your family, but know that you will die even with the best protection."

Minato pressed his lips together.

"My son's going to be a great man someday," he began. "He's going to finish what I started."

"I don't doubt it," Itachi said softly. He opened the door, leaving Minato in the dark humidity and returned to the prickling bright sunlight.

"Hey mister!" Naruto said as he stepped on the porch. "Why do you look so sad?" His eyes were as blue as his father's. Itachi smiled at him.

"I look sad? I don't mean to," he said lightly. There was a flash of something in Naruto's eyes, but it was gone quite suddenly, and now he seemed fascinated by the gun in the holster strapped to Itachi's leg.

"Hey…what's _that?_" he asked with great interest, dropping the ball he was holding and coming over to Itachi, circling around him and staring at the gun. "Is that a gun? Cool! Can I see it?"

"Nope, this is a toy you have to earn," Itachi explained patiently, feeling Naruto's mother staring at him. "You have to protect your mom and learn how to be a man before you can get it!"

Naruto jumped up and down excitedly.

"Quick mom! Do something dumb so I can protect you!" he ordered, and Itachi laughed with Naruto's mother.

"It was nice meeting you both," he said politely. He pointed his finger at Naruto. "You'd better be good," he warned. Naruto nodded fiercely and Itachi grinned before leaving the village. Just to please Naruto, he opened his hoverboard and swept skyward, Naruto's cry of, "THAT'S AWESOME!" fading as he climbed toward the clouds.

* * *

They had failed. In the smoldering wreckage, it was clear that Yahiko and Konan had died. The Pleasure Palace was up in flames and no matter how the academy tried to quell the flames, they couldn't stop it. Later, Itachi would learn that this was the signature of a man named Sasori, but for now all he knew was that they had failed. Shaking, he ventured into the flames, searching desperately for Konan's body. Tears dribbled down his face as he ducked through spurts of fire, finally coming across a white silk flower that lay, ashen, on the ground, about to be eaten up by a tongue of flame. It was the flower that Konan was never seen without. He snatched it and stuffed it in his pocket. They had failed, Hiashi had won, and now Konan was gone. Instinctively he knew Minato must be dead by now too. He looked around, knowing that Konan had died meters from where he stood, but it was too late now. Kakashi zoomed into the room on his hoverboard and roughly grabbed Itachi, yelling obscenities at him. Itachi absorbed none of it; as they pulled away from the flames, he decided that with Konan, his ability to love romantically would also die. He would never love another person in his life.


	21. 18: Perfect Circle

Isekai

Author's note: Lalala! I know you guys weren't happy with two origin-related stories, but too bad; they were important to the plot! Also I know everyone wanted to get back to the present, and this…is _technically_ in the present, but, takes place in Konoha :o I hope you guys are okay with this! I added in lemony content to make up for the fact that it doesn't pick up where I left off yet…I hope you guys like this chapter, as I am a little insecure about it. Please review! It means a lot to me and I want to know what you guys think of where the story is going. This chapter presents a MAJOR plot point.

Chapter Eighteen: Perfect Circle

Sasuke did not like being blindfolded, and he did not like being separated from his wife. He also was not fond of being hungry, and cherished showers above most other things. Therefore his present situation was getting on his nerves a bit. He couldn't remove the cloth covering his eyes, because he couldn't see (obviously) to undo the rather complicated knot at the back of his head. Another problem was that his eyes were in excruciating pain, and it was hard to concentrate on anything else through the pain. He was also fairly sure he was on the verge of starvation, as he was weaker than even after his spinal injury, and his stomach made ungodly noises every few minutes.

_Great, maybe I'm in Milia. They're all starving to death there, _he thought unceremoniously, and grinned despite the pain. _Sakura would kill me for thinking that._ Her exact birthplace and her parents were unknown, but due to her bright pink hair and pale skin, it was pretty obvious she was from Milia. She'd also been raised in an overcrowded orphanage there.

He'd been here for a while as far as he could tell, though with no human interaction, food, sight, or bathroom privileges, it was hard to tell time. He couldn't feel the weight of his usual watch on his wrist, and when he tried to determine his surroundings, he came to the uncomfortable conclusion that he was mostly naked, except for a pair of loose pants held up by rope and rather primitive sandals.

"Hello?" he called out, surprised by how his voice cracked slightly as though he were still in the clutches of puberty. _Oh hell no,_ he thought. _One round of puberty was enough for me, thanks. _

"Ah, little Sasuke-kun…" a silky voice hissed from a few feet away. Sasuke jumped.

"Who the hell are you? Where am I?" he demanded. The person laughed softly and Sasuke attempted to glare before remembering he was blindfolded, and every muscle twitch of his eyes hurt like hell. "You sound like a pedophile," he added, noting the way his rear end hurt and hoping upon hope that that was because of sitting on stone for hours and hours.

"Sasuke-kun, you have gotten so rude. And just yesterday, you were so euphoric about the transplant…" something was stroking his hair, and Sasuke jumped back, trying to kick whatever was touching him.

"Transplant? What the hell?" He scuttled back and banged his head against more stone and yelped in pain.

"…Your brother's eyes, Sasuke." Whoever this person was, they sounded irritated and impatient now. "You had your brother's eyes transplanted so you'd be more powerful. I must tell Madara of this, your lack of recollection is more than troubling…" he heard the sound of pacing, and he nearly choked on his own spit.

"Transplanted? Itachi's eyes?" he sputtered. The person was tsking now.

"This is no good. Something must have gone wrong. You seem to be remembering nothing. Tell me, what is the last thing you remember?"

Sasuke paused.

"Shutting down a reactor with my wife," he finally answered carefully. There was a chilling silence before the person spoke again.

"…What is a reactor? You don't have a wife. Unless you mean Karin…?"

"No, asshole, Sakura!" Sasuke was panicking now. He didn't have Sakura, and he had just put his brother's eyes into his own. _Calm down. It must simply be a nightmare. Take a deep breath like Sakura taught you. _

"…And now you think you are married to your old teammate. This is…disturbing. Stay there. I shall summon Madara. Troubling, very troubling." There was the sound of smoke being released and then he could tell he was alone, wherever he was. _Well, even if it's a nightmare, nothing good can come of staying here. _With more fervor than ever, he worked at removing the blindfold, working through the pain, and finally, the fabric fluttered down to his legs, revealing darkness. Slowly, shapes began revealing themselves. He was in a cave of some sort. Where was the opening?

_Can't you not feel pain in dreams? _His eyes hurt even more now that the gentle pressure from the blindfold was gone, and he struggled to stay upright, leaning against the wall of the cavern as he stumbled, gasping in pain. This was definitely no nightmare. _Maybe I'm in Milia and they took me captive and brainwashed me? _Fear seized his heart but propelled him forward. _I have to find Sakura. I have to find Sakura. _He pushed against the wall and rocks tumbled forward, bruising him but bringing in painfully bright sunlight. This time he cried out in pain, shielding his eyes as they adjusted slowly.

He knew there was no time to lose; he began trundling through soft, tall grass. His eyes still ached, but fear of getting caught again by whoever that person was compounded with fear for what might have happened to Sakura sent adrenaline coursing through his body. _What if…? _She couldn't be dead. They hadn't anticipated the reactor mission going this badly at all. Sandy soil and tall grass gave way to clumps of trees, and suddenly he was running through a cool, shaded forest, the leaves dripping with moisture in the high humidity. His lungs burning, he finally slowed to a stop, bent over, struggling for air. Hiding himself within a thicket, he caught his breath, and looked down. Was it possible that he looked…smaller? Maybe he'd been starving for longer than he'd thought? But no, then all his muscle tone would have been gone too. His bare chest was narrower as it had been when he was about seventeen, and there was almost no hair on his chest. He reached up, expecting a beard-he wasn't hairy, but he certainly needed to shave at least once a week-but his jaw was smooth and entirely hairless. _Okay, now I'm freaked out. _He was much tanner than he was used to, despite being locked in a cave, and there were scars on him that he didn't recognize. They looked _old_, too old to have developed for whatever time had passed since his mission. They looked like they were at least a year or two old.

His pants were loose, dark grey pants, tucked into black strips of cloth that had been wrapped around his calves, leading to leather sandals. _What the hell am I wearing? _They were held up by a thick rope. _Hasn't anyone ever heard of, you know, buttons?_ He had never seen clothing like this before in his life.

Dizziness and nausea gripped him and he stood up shakily again, compelled to run. He had no idea where he was, but was coming to the conclusion that this was too real to be a dream. The only way he could quell his fears was to keep running. Through the woods he ran, nearly choking for air but too scared to stop. He was hungrier and more tired than he had ever been in his entire life, but something more primitive moved him: _survival._ He could eat and sleep later, but now, he had to _run _if he wanted to have any chance of living. As true physical exhaustion hit him, he concentrated, and the strangest thing was, he was able to keep going. His strides became longer, and more power was packed into each step, until he was nearly airborne. He squinted, trying to calm the pain raging in his eyes, and then, the same strange liquid feeling spread to his eyes, and he was able to see everything as though it were happening in slow-motion…even though he knew he was sprinting faster than he had ever sprinted in his life. His lungs no longer burned for air, and suddenly it was quite comfortable to be sprinting like this. Easy, even. He tried focusing more on each stride, and then suddenly he really _was_ airborne, climbing up a tree without the use of his hands and then leaping from branch to branch. It was dreamlike and yet felt totally normal to his muscles, as though he'd been doing it for years. It was like being in a different universe, in a world where he used magic to run and jump. _…Is it possible to be sent to other worlds? _ He had no satisfactory answer. _The only thing I can do is find Sakura_.

After hours of running, the sun was setting, and he came to the edge of the woods. _For all I know I could have been running in circles,_ he thought, barely winded as he crouched on a tree branch. He was looking down upon a settlement of tents, apparently medical tents for wounded. _I guess there must be a war here…. _He would have just burst into the tents to ask for help-now that he was no longer moving, he had no distraction from the pain-but what if these medics were on the side of his captors? It was chilly now and he wished for a shirt. _Sakura…_ her name was like a shibboleth back to his own world, and he rested against the trunk of the tree, letting his body rest as he watched the medics flutter in and out. Was she here too? What the hell had happened? Was this all a dream? A hallucination?

They had had no idea things would turn out like _this._ He clenched his fists as he recalled the condition they were _hoping_ Sakura was in. This would have been her last mission for a while, but if she was in anything like Sasuke's state, it would all be ruined. They'd been keeping track of her cycle, and she was beginning to take more instructing hours and fewer missions. The plan was to ease her into a more sedentary lifestyle, to prepare her body and mind. They hadn't done a test yet, because they were afraid to check too soon and jinx anything.

But if she was as battered as he, there was no way she could still be pregnant. She'd only have been a few weeks pregnant; the tiny bundle of cells would be too fragile to withstand starvation and dehydration like this. Hot angry tears pricked his eyes and he angrily wiped them away. They had been so foolish to take this stupid mission when Sakura might have been pregnant. _Why did I let her? I'm a horrible husband. _

He traveled for days, stopping only in the dead of night to break into shops and steal food. He didn't recognize much of the food he stole, but he was so hungry, he didn't care. He had also stolen a swath of fabric for a blanket, and used it as a bag to store his food. He wasn't naive enough to think that he could just go from village to village, stealing enough food to get by indefinitely, and he also wanted to have food for Sakura in case he found her. His eyes still ached, but he had become habituated to the pain and only noticed it when he first woke up from the short naps he took intermittently. One night when he broke into a shop, he caught his reflection in a piece of glass and was shocked. He'd been straining his eyes to look for possible people he might run into, and now he saw, very clearly even in the night, that his eyes glowed red with three black flecks revolving around the pupil. He was filled with horror. His suspicions that he might be in another world were confirmed by this, as well as the fact that he looked exactly as he had when he was seventeen, though leaner and tanner and more scarred. The man in the cave had confirmed that Sakura was in this world though; apparently she had been his old teammate.

It was another few days before he found her. He had come upon a new encampment of tents and decided to rest on a branch, high up and overlooking the entire clearing.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of pink. He peered through the leaves and watched as Sakura left one of the tents, seemingly to walk around the encampment by herself. She was hugging herself tightly and Sasuke's jaw dropped. She looked like a completely different person. She was so thin it was scary, and her hair hung in uneven, careless clumps around her face. She wore a shapeless hunter green vest over a black shirt and baggy black pants. She looked so small, so helpless. He was about to jump down when he saw another figure follow her out of the tents, and he realized it was Neji, though he didn't look like himself. He too was thinner but more muscular, and was wearing an outfit similar to Sakura's. Hungrily he watched Neji come up behind Sakura and grab her. He was interrogating her about something, but Sasuke couldn't hear what it was. Finally, he backed off and returned to his tent, leaving Sakura alone. Sasuke waited a few more minutes before dropping to the ground. By now he was no longer surprised at his ability to do things like that, and he ducked out of the trees, covered Sakura's mouth before she could let out a scream, and dragged her back into the woods with him. When she realized who he was, she threw her arms around him, her entire body quivering. For a few minutes they stayed like that.

"Where are we?" she whispered, pulling away enough to look up at him. In the bits of moonlight, he could see that her face was so smudged with dirt that her tears made clean streaks of white down her hollowed cheeks. Now he found himself unable to stop, and he clutched her tightly to him. She felt so bony; the only thing on her bones was muscle. "Your eyes… they look red..." she added, reaching up and touching calloused fingertips to the skin around his eyes. He could only nod, for fear that if he tried to speak he'd cry too. This was clearly not just a dream, and they had lost so much. They stood there, holding each other tightly, blending in with the night.

"We have to get you away from here," he murmured into her hair, and she nodded.

"I don't think it survived," she said, instinctively reaching down to her abdomen. He picked up her hand and laced their fingers together.

"We'll think about it later. For now we have to run. I think I'm not supposed to have gotten away."

"They're after you. You're the cause of this war," she agreed, and they began creeping across the edge of the camp. As soon as they were in the trees on the other side, they began running, until they could no longer run anymore. There was a small village that reminded them both of Verda Linda, the village outside of Gaulin that they had planned to move to after the baby was born. Wordlessly they agreed to find a place to stay here, and after some poking around, found a shed behind a house that didn't look like it was used too often. They hid inside and huddled together on soft bags of some kind of seed.

"I'm so happy you found me," Sakura whispered, pulling off her vest to use as a pillow for them both. Sasuke undid the fabric and let packets of food fall out of it. He stacked them on the ground beside them; they could eat later. He covered them both with the fabric.

"Dumb luck. I woke up in a cave, blindfolded," Sasuke explained, lying down next to Sakura. "I think…there's some kind of…"

"Magic? I know. I had no idea how to heal this one guy but as soon as I thought of it, I was able to do it. Weird."

"Yeah."

Sakura snuggled closer to him, resting her head on his chest. "And I think we're younger here too."

"Maybe we didn't lose the baby?" Hope sparked within them both and they smiled at each other. Relief came after that, and even though he was filthy, Sasuke moved closer and kissed Sakura on the mouth. Once again he forgot about his pain and rolled over on top of her, relishing the way her fingers wound their way into his hair. He forgot all about their strange new situation as he became lost in the kiss, letting his lips leave hers and moving to her neck. He pulled her to a sitting position as he slipped the black shirt off her. Her small breasts were bound in white wrappings. Without asking for consent, he tugged at them until they gave way, and traced his mouth downwards, roving over her torso. Still, his lust was pierced by worry at how underfed she was. He heard her let out a gasp of pleasure and he forgot about the worry, moving lower and hooking his fingers in her pants. Moonlight streamed through the single tiny window in the shed, panels of silvery light falling on them both, illuminating Sakura in a pale glow. He pushed her pants away and let her untie the rope around his waist, pressing his lips against hers and effectively pushing her down again. His clothing fell away and they moved together, before falling asleep under the fabric, curled up together in a perfect circle.

* * *

"What the HELL?" A loud voice jarred Sakura from the first deep sleep she'd had since she'd gotten to this strange world, and blearily she opened her eyes, blinking to adjust to the bright sunlight. Her body ached from sleeping in an odd position, and soon it became clear that there were people in this shed other than her and Sasuke, she was naked and only covered by a thin piece of fabric, and the people were three men standing in the doorway. Rubbing her eyes, she looked over to find the President of Fleuria, Kakashi (her fellow instructor at Gaulin), and a dark-haired man who bore a striking resemblance to Sasuke. Before she could process this, Sasuke woke up as well.

"S-sakura-chan!" The president of Fleuria stammered, his face reddening as he took in the sight before him. Sakura squealed, hiding herself more under the blankets, and Sasuke glowered, drawing her closer to him. "Sakura, did he hurt you? What's going on?" he demanded. Kakashi turned and looked away, and absently Sakura wondered why he wore a mask that covered his mouth. The only person who did not seem horrified by her state of dress was the dark haired man, who simply stared at them impassively.

"Fraternizing with the enemy," he said coolly, and unsheathed a long sword. "Thanks for catching him for us, Hag-"

"Oh no you don't," Naruto interrupted, swiftly kicking the sword out of the man's hands. "That's my best friend you want to chop up, Sai," he warned. He turned to the pair again, still clearly in shock. "Just…how long has this been going on, Sakura-chan?" he sounded so mournful that Sakura's heart broke even though she didn't know this man.

"Just this once," she said timidly. She had gathered from being in the medic tent that Sasuke planned on destroying his home village as an act of revenge, and was going to disturbing lengths to achieve his goal. Apparently they had been teammates and he had been her childhood crush. "I just…"

"He must have used the Sharingan," Kakashi clarified suddenly. "Sakura, did he use the Sharingan?"

"I don't know." What the hell was the sharingan? She watched as the men glanced between each other. The dark haired man's eyes returned to her almost at once, and Sakura's cheeks flushed as she pulled the fabric closer to her body.

"I have special instructions for these two," he said, returning to his sword. "Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, please do not stop me. The Uchiha must be detained and Ugly needs to be taken in for questioning." He never once looked at Sasuke. "Get dressed and please do not try to escape," he ordered before ushering Naruto and Kakashi out of the shed. When he closed the door behind him, Sakura's legs began to shake and she had to brace herself by gripping the windowsill.

"It'll be okay," Sasuke murmured in reassurance. Sakura nodded. Would Sasuke be imprisoned? Killed? "They can't keep us apart again. I'll find you as many times as I need to," he added.

"I'll do whatever I must do to save you from being held prisoner," she agreed. "For now, let's do as they say." They dressed swiftly and, with dignity, exited the shed. More people had arrived in the meantime, and Sakura and Sasuke recognized Neji from the group. In the blink of an eye, they had chained Sasuke. A group of men took him, and in a poof of smoke, they were gone. Sakura couldn't hide her shaking, and the shame from being found in such a way made her face burn. She looked down even as the man from before gripped her upper arm. Wordlessly, they too disappeared in a poof of smoke, though Sakura caught all eyes on her, wide with shock and repugnance, before she disappeared.

Before she could do anything, she found herself being carried by the man as he ran through the treetops at an incredible pace.

"What will they do to Sasuke?" she asked. He said nothing and she took that as a cue to not speak further. When they did stop, it was hours later and they were in a dark room, with no windows and no furnishings except for a bed in the corner. He slid the door shut and locked it, gesturing for her to sit on the bed.

"My name is Sai," he began, moving to stand in front of her. "I do not know what will happen to Sasuke for now. He will live, however." Sakura released a breath and relaxed. Still, her brain hitched on something and she froze. She knew she was supposed to know this man, but if he had bothered with introductions, he knew something the others didn't.

"…How did you know I'm not the Sakura everyone thinks I am?" she demanded, standing up and bracing herself. Sai looked at her levelly.

"Because I'm the one who sent you here."


	22. 19: Haunting Melodies

Isekai

Author's Note: WELL. This chapter was brought to you by my new beta, the fabulous WingedMercury. Check her out: her writing is awesome and she's a really cool person! Anyway, she helped a lot with this chapter, especially in polishing it.

Some notes: to Honest, thank you very much for your, er, _honest_ review. It is the kind of review I'm looking for, and I wish you had signed it so I could have pm'd you. I agree with everything you said, and I cringe every time I think about how OOC Sasuke was at the end of Mr. Brightside. Still, I must move on and try harder next time. After this story is done, when I revise it I plan on going back and changing that (among so many other things).

One more thing: when people review with not criticism or praise but questions about what will happen in the next chapter, usually I do not bother responding. Why? Because (and this may come as a shock) it is a STORY. You find out the events and the plot unfolds _as you read it. _Why else would you bother reading it? So if you ask "what will happen next chapter?" and then try to blackmail me into responding and answering all your questions…well, I'm going to be honest here: I am going to ignore you. I love reviews, but they're not why I'm writing this story. You're welcome to ask ponderous questions in your reviews (and I'm happy to chat about points that were confusing or poorly written, etc) but do not expect a personal response to blackmail. No hard feelings or anything, but I don't have the time or the patience to entertain such childish behavior.

ALSO: If I do not pm you and you left a detailed review, it's because I have not yet had the chance to respond. I try to reply to every signed review that I get. Really, I do. So don't be afraid to ask for clarifications on something that happened, or point out the stuff you think I did wrong! I welcome that sort of thing. Criticism is a thing to be embraced :)

Chapter Twenty: Haunting Melody

"And no, _Uchiha-san,_ you will _not_ be taking off my towel," Sakura informed her 'husband' as she chased him around the apartment, fists flying. "And since when did you want babies?" She paused, crossing her arms over her chest. Sasuke smirked devilishly.

"Since you started filling out that uniform-agh!" Once again, he narrowly escaped one of Sakura's punches. They hadn't gotten the bloodstain off the carpet from the last time she become angry at him, and it was a gruesome reminder of the fact that when motivated Sakura could do quite a bit of damage. Instinctively Sasuke retreated, covering his nose and backing away. Sakura cornered him, holding a pillow and preparing to strike, but luckily he was saved by the obnoxious beeping of Sakura's comm.

"Lucky you," Sakura said sarcastically. "Don't think I'll forget this," she added in a hiss as she picked up her comm. Sasuke let out a sigh of relief. For now, the beast had been tamed. Sakura frowned as she read her new message.

_Come meet with me, I have some new stuff for you. -Shika _

She set the comm down, painfully aware of the fact that Shikamaru had left out an invitation for Sasuke. "Shikamaru wants me to meet up with him. Apparently he has new information?" She handed the comm to Sasuke, who shrugged.

"I'll leave with you to avoid suspicion. Then I can visit my mom," he replied casually. Sakura cast him a shrewd glance.

"So you can let her fuss over you and spoil you, Sasuke?" Sasuke's mouth twitched and there was a gleam in his eyes that made her go weak in the knees. She grinned at him, suddenly feeling lighter than air. How was it that he was capable of making her feel so many different emotions in such a short amount of time? She went to get dressed to try to avoid lingering on that thought. When she came out of the bathroom, Sasuke was fiddling with something.

"What the hell is this?" he asked, holding it up for her to see. It was a palm-sized mechanism in the shape of a tiny sphere. When he touched it, eerie music played and it seemed to unfurl like a flower, its tines stretching and revealing blue LEDs along the joints. The lights glowed, lending the thing a mystical quality. "I found it in my drawer," he added. Sakura reached out to touch it, and the flower shrank into a ball again.

"Weird. Must just be a toy," she replied with a shrug. Still, there was something unsettling about it; wordlessly Sasuke returned it to his bedside table's drawer, slamming it shut with more force than necessary. "So. Ready to head out?" Awkwardness had settled between them again as they stared at each other. "I-I should tell Shikamaru I'm heading over," she stammered, just for a way to break the silence. How had things changed so suddenly, and why? Sakura looked back at the drawer which housed the strange bauble. It was like seeing it had drained all of the happiness out of her. She had the distinct sensation of _loss,_ of grief, and she didn't know why. When they left the apartment, she was glad to put distance between herself and the sphere.

They took hoverboards to Shikamaru's lab, but parted ways before Sakura descended into the crystal cave. After she disappeared into the depths of the cave, a weight descended upon him; for no clear reason, the feeling that bordered on depression and grief reemerged, the same feeling that had welled up ever since he had touched the odd toy.

Maybe it wasn't a toy at all. Maybe someone had planted it there? _Maybe Sai has something to do with this,_ was his automatic thought. Not feeling up to visiting his mother while he was in such a black mood, Sasuke zoomed over Gaulin, unsure of his direction, barely noticing the countryside flying by. Clouds gathered around the sun, giving the light a flat, muted feeling. The rainy season was coming, he absently mused, but such a banal thought did not hang around for long, and soon the depressing thoughts had returned. _What did I lose? Why am I thinking of it?_

He had lost his family, but this grief felt different. There was no anger, no direction to his feelings, no energy. There was only emptiness and loss. He flew over the sea, flying unconsciously in the direction of more storm clouds. Rain began to patter against his face, droplets landing in the ocean below him. Soon his hair and uniform were plastered to his skin, and it was a relief that here (wherever here was) the weather aligned with his mood.

He knew he was near Chun Wu, and when he squinted, he could see the dim foreboding outline of the city through the rain. It was still closed to all foreigners. Not feeling adventurous, he swerved in a new direction, away from Chun Wu. Soon he was flying over land again. Here there was more lush, low-lying vegetation. He looked closer, wondering what the pale things were that dotted the areas around the dirt roads, but he couldn't tell in the rain. He pulled out his comm, which he had noticed Gaara using as a compass and map, and when he searched, he found the map mode. He switched to it and the screen warped to show a pixelated gathering of lines to denote the coast. A blue circle showed his position. _Northern Coast, Milia_ scrolled along the bottom. Milia? He hadn't heard of it before. He dropped down, sweeping along the coastline, and nearly fell off his board and tumbled into the ocean when he realized what those things he had noticed before were.

They were bodies.

Sasuke landed his hoverboard shakily in the rough sand, skidding and leaving deep gouges before finally slamming to a halt against a rock and getting pitched forward. He landed painfully among the rocks, scraping his chin and bloodying it. He looked up again and saw, feet away in the sand, a child with flies gathered at its mouth. He was never one to be easily nauseated, but this time he couldn't stomach the sight and he found himself vomiting. Memories of the massacre-horrific images that had lain dormant in his mind for the past few weeks-returned to him with painful, startling clarity.

He had discovered dead bodies once before in his life, but at least this time they were not his own kin. Gasping for breath, he knelt in the sand, blood dripping from his chin, as he was transported to a point that was ten years in the past. He saw himself sliding open the fusuma, expecting to tell his mother something amusing he had learned about Konohan history in class. He could remember thinking, as more of the sitting room was revealed, that perhaps he would pester Itachi for more tips on kunai throwing…and then, death itself soiling his beautiful family home and his mind and heart forever.

Shakily he got to his feet, wiping his mouth and looking around while trying to not let his gaze linger on anything for too long. His comm beeped and he didn't register it right away, for he was seeing a starving person crawling desperately toward him. He backed away, his boots scuffing the sand, and got on his hoverboard hastily, speeding away and panting. It began to rain harder, making visibility extremely poor. It hardly mattered, because he wasn't looking where he was going. Still nauseated and dizzy from the sight he had seen, Sasuke wove his hoverboard through the air awkwardly, clutching his stomach and trying to put as much distance in between himself and that place-and the memories it awoke in him-as possible.

Every time he blinked, he saw that dying child on the backs of his eyelids, and it warped into the images that had haunted him since he was seven years old. There was no relief. It was like experiencing it all over again, and he was sinking back into that abyss of despair, adrift and buoyed only by the icy salty air that reminded him he was alive, and here, his family was still alive as well.

_I don't want to go back. I don't want to go back. I don't want to go back. _Not to Konoha, ever again. He pressed his palms over his mouth, choking back a sob. Not to Konoha, where he was orphaned and entirely alone. He had pushed all those who loved him in Konoha away, and deep down, he felt the damage he had done was irreparable. He didn't want to be alone and in pain. He didn't want Itachi's eyes in his skull, he wanted them in Itachi. He wanted Itachi alive and happy. He wanted to have his mother greet and kiss him every time he reentered his family's home. He wanted to be able to smile at his father. He wanted to come home every night to a warm bed and Sakura's kind voice and pretty eyes.

_No one realizes how much easier this life is. No one gets it. _

The device beeped again, and he nearly jumped off his board in surprise. He paused, hovering in the downpour over the ocean, and covered the comm with his free hand, squinting to read it. It was difficult because the rain streamed down his hair and into his eyes.

_Lot of stuff to talk about. Where are you? _

His hands were shaking too much to type a response just yet, and he stowed the comm back in his pocket, resuming his zigzagging journey to Gaulin. When he got to the salt flats over Shikamaru's lab, Sakura was hovering there, wringing her hands and looking stressed out. It was only spitting rain here, which was a relief.

"Oh my god, you look terrible. Are you okay?" Sakura demanded, jumping off her board and running to him. He wanted to appear strong in front of her, but he couldn't stop shaking. "You never responded so I got worried."

"Has anyone ever said anything to you about Milia?" he asked slowly, trying to hide how much his voice wavered. The image of the child resurfaced and he clamped his mouth shut, stepping away from Sakura as the nausea returned sharply. Sakura blinked as though he had said something disturbing.

"Yes, actually. Shikamaru just did. He thinks that Emperor Hiashi is trying to take over the country and train its inhabitants to become an enormous army, as well as produce the airships he so favors. It's just hard for him to take it over efficiently, because Milia's a highly populated country with no city centers….just miles and miles of farmland, really-"

"I don't think they're doing a lot of farming," he said grimly. Sakura was staring at him with great curiosity. "I was exploring and just…there were dead or dying bodies everywhere." Sakura nodded.

"Shikamaru said that Hiashi was having his army systematically comb the country. The process has taken several long years because Milia is such an enormous place. The soldiers are just raping the women and destroying the crops."

That explained why no one had mentioned Milia. It was an old issue, apparently. Still, he knew he would never forget that child's face for as long as he lived. To put the image out of his mind, he decided he'd focus on whatever Sakura had learned from Shikamaru. He turned back to her but she was eying him worriedly, her face set into a frown.

"Don't look at me like that." he said testily. Sakura averted her gaze, but her expression remained worried and anxious. "So what did you find out from Shikamaru?" he asked, getting back on his hoverboard and leading the way back to the academy.

"That Sasori could potentially be a double-agent, but they're not sure yet. Shikamaru said they have evidence of him sabotaging Hiashi's plans, but it isn't concrete evidence and the theory relies heavily on assumptions. It's just tough to really find hard facts because no one can get _into_ Chun Wu to do any surveillance-"

"-Which is exactly what Hiashi wants," Sasuke confirmed, slowing his pace so that he and Sakura flew alongside each other. "What's their evidence of Sasori's status?"

"A lot of little things, but one of the most compelling things is that he clearly didn't put any effort into killing Itachi at Elithrael, and Itachi's one of Hiashi's biggest enemies, apparently. Shikamaru didn't know a lot about it, but he said Chouji always reported hearing Itachi's name at the private family dinners… and not in a good way. "

Sasuke stiffened.

"You yourself said that if the incision had been a few millimeters to the side, it would have hit his heart," he said tersely. He heard Sakura let out a sigh.

"Sasuke, when it was _your_ lifelong mission to kill Itachi, did you just slash at his chest and call it a day?"

Her question hit home hard and Sasuke found himself too angry at her to reply. He clenched his fists. "I'm sorry, I know that was rude. But do you get what I'm saying? Sasori just kind of left after he hit Itachi. He didn't even stick around to make sure Itachi was dead. So there's that, and then there's a report of him going alone to the Fleurian Palace a few nights ago… he didn't attack anything, and he didn't stay long. He didn't even have to break in; he just went in a window."

It was foolish to remain angry with Sakura; she had been merely making a point and a good one at that, but he couldn't hide the cool tone in his voice.

"It'd seem like he was meeting with Naruto."

"…Exactly." He could feel Sakura looking at him. "Sasuke, I know it was a dumb comment. Please forgive me. I really am sorry."

He wavered in his conviction before slumping his shoulders slightly in defeat.

"It's fine. Whatever. I know what you were trying to say," he conceded, though even to his own ears he sounded petulant.

"Thanks. Anyway," Sakura briskly returned to the matter at hand, and Sasuke had to admire how focused she had become. When they were genin, she would have never dared to say something that might purposely upset him, and if she did upset him, she would grovel endlessly, fussing over him. _But you wouldn't mind the attention now, would you? _a little voice pointed out. His cheeks flushed embarrassedly at the thought. "Naruto-even if HIashi doesn't realize it-is an even bigger problem than Itachi. If anyone would be a good target for Sasori, it'd be Naruto, and we know that Sasori is no fool. The only conclusion to make is that he must be marching to the beat of two different drummers, right?"

For some reason, Sasuke thought of Sai.

"Yeah. And I think I know someone else who could be a double agent," he said in a low voice as they swept into the hangar.

For the rest of the day, Sakura had difficulty concentrating on her classes. She wanted to do a good job of teaching, but her mind constantly wandered. She thought of Sai's kiss, of the argument and tension between her and Sasuke, of that strange toy that he had randomly found, and of Sasori, whose sinister actions did not line up with _any_ expectations. When she recalled how he had confessed to stalking her, she couldn't help but shudder in disgust. She still felt thoroughly invaded. Privacy was, as a spoiled only child, something she was innately accustomed to. Even living with Sasuke was difficult. But the idea that Sasori had watched her every move was disturbing on a level she had never before encountered. She felt jumpy and anxious. She pictured Sasori in her mind's eye, picturing him poring over footage from the academy, his golden eyes fixated on the tapes, a bored expression on his face. Her face heated up. _But I killed you once, Sasori. What's to stop me from doing it again if I have to? _

Momentarily satisfied with that reminder of her own capabilities, Sakura let her afternoon class have a study hall as she sat at her monitor, now turning her attention to the toy. Something told her that it wasn't just a toy. This was mainly the inexplicable power of the toy to sap her happy mood and leave her with that ineffable feeling of loss and grief. Finally she located mention of the toy on the intranet, and went slack-jawed when she read what it truly was.

_The Memoralia Sphere _

_Memoralia spheres first began cropping up a century ago in Fleuria. It is rumored to be one of the many disturbing but fabulous creations of a researcher named Madara, who was of the famed Uchiha lineage. Memoralia spheres employ a complicated photoelectric technique in conjunction with mirror neurons and memory neurons. When used appropriately, a memory-or many memories-can be stored inside this tiny device, programmed to open only at the behest of the proper viewer of the memory, and at the proper time. When the Memoralia sphere senses it is appropriate to open, it opens completely and displays the memory or memories. Mirror neurons are activated so that the viewer can keenly feel the owner's emotions throughout the memory. Memoralia spheres are known for carrying the emotional "weight" of the memory contained inside it, so that when held, it can bestow elation, depression, grief, contentment, or any other emotion contained in the memory. Memories presented by the Memoralia sphere are usually whole and in tact, though if the memory has been taken by force, the memories will be fragmented and difficult to decipher. _

Before bothering to read more, Sakura shot up out of her desk, shaking with shock.

"Class is dismissed early," she said suddenly. "Please use this extra time to work on the assigned homework on the syllabus. Bye!" Before her students could protest, Sakura ducked out of the classroom and began sprinting down the corridor. She wasn't sure if Sasuke was teaching at this time, and was relieved to find him in the training area with Neji. Ignoring the flutter in her chest at seeing him shirtless and sweaty, Sakura skidded to a halt, trying to catch her breath.

"Skipping class?"

"This is important. Neji, mind if I borrow Sasuke for a bit?" Sakura panted, her hands on her knees. Neji shrugged.

"Sure, that's fine."

Sasuke shot her a quizzical look but donned his shirt nonetheless as he strode toward her. As soon as the white cotton was over his head, Sakura began jogging, gesturing for him to hurry as well.

"I found out what that toy was," she muttered as they slowed to a stop in front of the apartment. Sasuke punched in the code absently and the door slid open. "It's not a toy at all. We need to try to open it." The door shut and locked, Sakura moved to bring the Memoralia sphere out, but Sasuke stopped her.

"Let's take it somewhere else. We don't know who could be watching," he pointed out. They chose a grove of trees by the shoreline, far from the academy. Taking a deep breath, Sakura opened her hand, the Memoralia sphere revealed.

"Open," she commanded. Nothing happened.

"It opened when I touched it. What's inside?" he asked, taking it from Sakura. Still, it did not open. Sakura let out a sigh of frustration.

"It's called a Memoralia sphere. Memories are stored inside of it. It opens only for the person meant to see the memory…"

"But it opened for us earlier. You don't think we could have missed our chance…?"

They grimly resumed poking and prodding it, though the depression and gloom that radiated from the sphere had settled around them like a fog. "It supposedly can give you whatever emotions are inside the actual memory," she explained, her voice slow and flat. _We're never going to open it. We missed our chance. _

The longer they spent trying to open it, the worse Sakura felt. Slowly, all of her cringe-worthy memories and sad encounters came to her like waves returning to a shore. She remembered being particularly rude to Naruto one day when they were genin. She still regretted how harshly she had always treated her friend. She remembered overhearing an argument between her parents that had seemed like their marriage would end. Most of all, she remembered the loss she had felt after Sasuke's betrayal. Waking up on that bench, and before anything had happened, how she had simply _known_ what had happened. She could remember thinking, _he's gone,_ and the heaviness of that thought, as though she herself were made of stone like the bench he had left her on.

When she looked up at Sasuke, she was shocked to see how gray his expression was. He was turning the sphere over in his hand, but looked upon it with pain evident in his eyes.

"Regret. There's regret in this memory," she finally said. Sasuke nodded.

"Guilt," he added. "Remorse. Loss. Pure grief."

"Fear of loss," she added, thinking of her parents' argument. "Think," she began desperately, though the weight of her feelings made her want to simply lie down and stare at the sky. "What were we doing that made it open before?" They looked at each other.

"Arguing."

"But it was happy arguing, right?"

Sasuke paused. His hand closed around the sphere into a fist.

"I was thrilled that I might truly have a family of my own," he confessed, and as he did so, a curious warmth spread through him, and the gloom that had settled around them lifted slightly. Sakura managed a smile.

"And I was thinking about how just one smile from you can make my day," she said. Their eyes met and they shared a smile, and it was as though the sun had come from behind a cloud. Sasuke opened his hand and the eerie music began playing again. Slowly, the tines that were actually petals unfurled again, rolling and stretching, the tiny blue lights brightening. They double-checked to make sure they were alone. The sky was becoming a deeper shade of twilight, darkening their little stand of trees. Sasuke set the mechanical flower on the ground and beams shot upward from the blue lights, slowly forming a picture in front of them. The music disappeared, and quite suddenly, it was as though they had jumped into icy water as they became quite immersed in the memory.


	23. 20: Drowning

Isekai

Author's Note: I want to apologize. I have a bad temper and an extremely contrary personality, so when someone tells me "you must do this or else" I react unfavorably. I love your reviews and messages with musings on the plot; the review I was speaking of was literally a threat and it annoyed me. Still, I shouldn't have written such a temperamental note, especially since all of you guys are SO AWESOME. So seriously-I am so sorry about that. My temper gets the better of me too often.

Special thanks to my totally badass beta, WingedMercury, for doing her best (which is pretty damn amazing) with my crappy writing. Read her stories because they're awesome!

Anyway. Last chapter wasn't too popular apparently, which makes me sad. Hopefully you guys will like this one. There have been a few concerns that many people have raised in their reviews and pms. One: Sakura's pregnancy will be explained in due course. Two: I am not sure how many chapters this story will be. Probably at least thirty five? I really don't know for sure. Three: From now on, if I am writing an Origins or a Konohaverse chapter, I will say so in the chapter title.

Chapter Twenty: Drowning

With the curious sensation of being plunged into icy water, Sakura and Sasuke became immersed in the Memoralia sphere's image, as though it had created its own world. Now they stood together unsteadily on a patch of sunny dying grass. The trees were sparse, and in the distance loomed rocky cliff faces, as well as a bright-green sea at the edge of the horizon. Something was coming towards them from the sky, and soon they realized it was someone on a hoverboard, silhouetted by the bright sun.

"Hey mom! Look at that!" cried a child's voice. Sakura and Sasuke whipped around at the startling familiarity of the voice and saw none other than Naruto playing with wooden toys a few feet away from them. He stood, pointing at the figure on the hoverboard, his jaw slack and his eyes wide. He couldn't have been much more than seven or eight years old. He was skinnier than they remembered him as being, and his clothes were clean but ratty and ill-fitting. His cheeks were smudged with dirt and his hair had a strange lackluster to it that Sakura recognized as one of the tell-tale signs of malnutrition.

"It's Itachi," Sasuke said, also pointing to the figure. Sakura looked up and saw an Itachi that was nearly unrecognizable to her. He'd dropped onto the ground with the grace of someone highly coordinated, used to such an action and strode towards them. His hair was thicker and fuller, though still pulled into a low, loose ponytail. His skin was smooth and free of wrinkles; his eyes had no dark bags beneath them. The whites of his eyes were whiter than milk and, despite looking perhaps a bit moody, Itachi looked healthy and well-cared for. At this point he resembled Sasuke more than he ever would again. He wore the Gaulin Academy uniform as though it were a second skin, and Sakura got the feeling he had quite the following at Gaulin Academy. He was irresistible just as Sasuke was, and Sakura wondered how he had lost that glow of self-assurance and pure liveliness.

"Hey you! Who are you?" Naruto demanded. At this point they noticed that Naruto's parents sat on the porch,and they watched as Itachi greeted them politely. He had a tense sort of energy about him, and before long Minato had escorted him inside. Naruto tried to pry the front door open, but it would not budge.

"Itachi looks so different," Sakura murmured. But Sasuke remained in shocked silence. He had never seen Itachi look so full ofvitality even when he had been a child. "I wonder whose memory this is? My theory is that it's Naruto's because we weren't taken inside. Or perhaps it's his mother's memory?"

"Let's try going in then. If we can't, it rules out Itachi or Naruto's dad," Sasuke suggested, already climbing up the shabby wooden stairs to the front door. The door was locked and moved for them no more than it did for Naruto. Soon afterwards, however, Itachi and Minato came out of the house. He left on his hoverboard, twirling in the sky for Naruto's entertainment before speeding away.

"Not sure what the point of that memory was-" Sakura began, but suddenly the scene changed.

They were still standing in front of Naruto's house, but it looked very different. Fire was everywhere. People were screaming. Sasuke and Sakura ran inside the house to find masked men in black uniforms standing in a circle, obstructing their view. Nearby, Naruto cowered under a table, the flames casting his face in great relief. He looked beaten and bloody, though he was still scrawny and painfully skinny, so much time could not have passed.

"Mom!**"** he called out, tears streaming down his cheeks. One of the soldiers turned to point his rifle at the boy.

"One more peep out of you, brat, and you'll wish you had never been born," he sneered. With a jolt Sakura realized it was a Hyuuga soldier. His eyes were opalescent and his hair was dark. More shrieks-they were a woman's voice-were heard and the men jeered and laughed. Sasuke's nausea returned abruptly; he'd bet any amount of money that Naruto already _did _wish he had never been born. He fought back the memory of his own parents' death, barely able to suppress it. Looking wild-eyed and cornered, Naruto crept to the kitchen area and slid a knife off of the kitchen table, then hurled it at the Hyuuga soldier who had spoken with all the might his tiny, starved body could muster. It hit him squarely in the back and the soldier grunted in pain before dropping to the ground. Scrambling forth, Naruto snatched the soldier's gun and pointed it at his companions. Now they could see Naruto's mother's body and Sakura's stomach lurched.

"It doesn't matter now," she said sadly. "His mom won't live more than a few minutes at this point."

Privately Sasuke thought it didn't take a medical student to figure that one out, but said nothing, keeping his mouth clamped tightly shut. The red-haired woman lay on the ground, twisting and writhing in pain, her legs jutting out at strange, inhuman angles. Her eyes had glazed over in pain; she was hardly aware of what was going on around her now.

"Aw, the pup wants to protect his mummy. Don't bother killing him, he's a waste of bullets," one of them said. They surrounded Naruto's mother again.

Then a blood-curdling shriek was heard, and blood was running along the wooden floors.

The scene changed again. Naruto was stumbling through charred, barren fields, pulling something, stopping only to wipe the tears and mucus from his face with his disgusting oversized shirt. With horror they realized he was pulling his mother's lifeless body in a broken wheelbarrow. Her eyes were closed and her clothing soaked in blood; it occurred to Sakura that she had been very pregnant when she died and then she couldn't stop tears from rolling down her cheeks. Suddenly it was dawn and they watched as he clawed at the sod. He was burying her.

Everything changed, and now they were in one of the dorms of Gaulin Academy. Naruto looked runty in the uniform; the sleeves and pants were rolled up so that they wouldn't trail on the ground. He sat on a bed, swinging his legs, and they realized he was sitting in Itachi's room, examining a photograph in a frame.

"Why doesn't your brother go here?" he asked. Itachi sat a few feet away at a desk, looking over diagrams of battle formations and frowning in thought. To look at Naruto, one would have thought he was just a normal kid. His face showed none of the horrors he had already experienced.

"My parents wanted him at Fleuria. I already disappointed them by going here." Itachi said absently, flipping the page and tapping his lips with his index finger as he scanned the page, his eyes moving back and forth over it impossibly fast. Naruto raised his eyebrows.

"Disappointed them? But you're so famous. How could you possibly disappoint them?" he seemed utterly bewildered. Itachi tore his gaze from his paper to shoot Naruto a cheeky grin.

"Gaulin is supposedly for the dumb, brawny jock types….At least that's the stereotype. The Elite Fleurian Academy is for geniuses. I was all set to go there but changed my mind at the last second."

"Why?"

Itachi shrugged. "I was eight; getting to go out and fight sounded cooler than sitting in a lab all day with equations."

"So your brother's really smart? Is he anything like you?" Naruto was staring at the photo again and Sasuke leaned forward to look at it. It was a photo of Itachi and Sasuke and Sasuke recognized it; he was sure he had the same one. They were young and had been fishing. Itachi's laugh drew his gaze away from the picture.

"Not even a little bit. And I'm happy for it. If anything, he belongs here, but he's sweet enough to do mom and dad's bidding."

"Why are you happy about it?"

"Sasuke has more nerve and courage than anyone I've ever met in my life….perhaps besides you, Naruto. He's a little self-absorbed, but he's also generous and kind. Maybe that doesn't make sense. I don't know. You'll meet him at some point of course. I bet you two would be best friends."

Hearing Itachi speak this way about him made Sasuke need to lean against the wall, clutching the doorframe for support. He felt Sakura's cool hand on his own and she entwined their fingers, sending him a kind smile, her expression filled with such tenderness that it took his breath away. He held her gaze as so many unspoken things passed between them.

"I hope so!" Naruto grinned, giving Itachi a cheesy thumbs-up. "Maybe we can spar! Is he any good at fighting?"

"Well, of course. We aren't that much alike, but that's one thing we do have in common."

Everything changed yet again, and now it was clear they were in Fleuria. Naruto looked healthy and was finally beginning to catch up with his peers in height and weight; he looked loved and cared-for. He was following Itachi happily through the crowded streets; sunlight glinted off of the glorious glass buildings and sent rays of colorful light everywhere. They came to a series of buildings that seemed to be built around a central plaza. It resembled Gaulin Academy in some indefinable way, and the sign in front explained why: Elite Academy of Fleuria scrolled in glowing blue letters within a block of solid glass, hovering around a tiny blue globe.

"I don't understand why the headmaster of this dumb place can't meet us at Gaulin," Naruto grumbled. "And I'm hungry. Are there any places to eat in this city?"

Itachi laughed but it seemed to be lacking something, and indeed when he turned, they saw he was beginning to look more like the Itachi they knew now. He hunched slightly, the beginnings of dark circles haunting his black gaze, his hair dry and frazzled looking, lacking the shine that it had had years before. A significant amount of time must have passed for such a change of appearance to have taken place in both boys. Sakura hazarded a guess that Naruto might be eleven or twelve now, with Itachi probably nearing twenty. There was a tinge of gray to Itachi's pallor, and had they not just seen him from four or five years ago, they would have thought he looked perfectly normal. Now the decline in his health was painfully obvious.

"He's a busy man," Itachi said gently as his retina was scanned and they were granted admission. Inside, the Fleurian Academy was incredible. Its architecture was soaring, utilizing the most of the ever-present Fleurian sunlight, filling the halls. Students walked to and from classes; elevators made of glass tubes and steel lined the free space on the walls, carrying students skyward.

A glimpse of himself at age twelve shocked Sasuke. He too looked so _different. _He was walking with a boy that he abruptly recognized as Shikamaru; their uniforms were black and high-collared with badges that glittered with tiny blue lights in them.

"I look like a spoiled brat," he blurted out, and Sakura giggled.

"You really do. But look, some things never change. Look at all the girls." It was true, he was surrounded by girls his own age, gazing at him longingly and vying for a chance to talk to him. He seemed to remain oblivious to everything and looked rather pouty. _How the _fuck _can I be unhappy here? I have everything I ever wanted,_ he thought angrily, clenching his fists and wanting to smack this younger version of himself. Itachi called out to him and waved and Naruto eagerly waved at him as well, but all he returned them was a sullen twitch of his hand before he turned and boarded an elevator with Shikamaru.

"Geez, what's his problem?" Naruto said irritably. _Good question, _Sasuke thought, rolling his eyes as he watched his younger self zooming upward.

"Oh, he's unhappy because he's grounded. He sneaked out of his dorm a few nights ago-why, I'm not sure-and mom is furious with him," Itachi explained airily, the love in his eyes giving him some of his old energy back. Then their surroundings began to fade.

"More memories?" Sakura asked in shock.

Suddenly he and Itachi were standing on a cliff face overlooking Naruto's home village. The village was entirely destroyed; smoke drifted over it and everything was deathly silent.

"It's been bombed," Sasuke confirmed.

"This was all I had left," came Naruto's shaky but enraged voice. "Everyone was just getting their lives back and you just-you just-"

Itachi's face was expressionless as Naruto let out a pained sob. "We were rebuilding," he continued. "How could you do this?"

"Your father left friends here who were continuing his work," Itachi began tonelessly. "They had to be stopped. Those were my orders."

"Don't talk about my father!" Naruto exploded, drawing a sword. "I never even got to _bury _him. So don't you dare speak of him!"

"I can't watch this," Sakura whimpered. It was too painful. Naruto was like a wounded animal on the brink of death, blindly clawing at everything around him. Itachi remained cold and unchanging as ice, his face like a death mask.

Now they were in a ballroom of some sort, surrounded by dancers. Beautiful music and twinkly lights gave the ballroom a romantic atmosphere, and Sakura realized they were in the Hyuuga palace's ballroom. Sure enough, at the head of the room were three elaborate thrones. Hiashi and Hanabi rested there, looking out over their hundreds of guests as they waltzed. Naruto strode through the crowd with startling confidence. He was older-he had to be fifteen or sixteen now-and had blatantly ignored the dress code. Everyone else was in their finest outfits; Naruto was in a white short-sleeved undershirt, cargo pants, and combat boots. Dog tags jingled around his neck, and he wore a grin that bordered on arrogant. He had outgrown his scrawniness and now was quite tall for a fifteen year old, and filled out his tee shirt nicely. He was like the personification of sunlight, especially in a room with so much dark hair.

He was striding towards Hinata, and Sakura pulled Sasuke along, hurrying to keep up with Naruto. The mood of this memory was elation as well as intense longing, and when Hinata turned and her gaze met Naruto's, the magnetic attraction between them left Sakura and Sasuke speechless. Hinata was radiant, like a moon goddess or some other similar mystical creature. She was wearing a gown the same shimmery opal color as her eyes, her hair swept into an elaborate series of knots dotted with pearls. Her gown seemed to float around her as she turned to him, her lips parted in surprise, her cheeks flushed pink. They experienced Naruto's nervousness, his excitement, desire, and hope as he strode towards her.

The scene melted away almost reluctantly and now they were in a room with Emperor Hiashi. This room was private but grand, and Hiashi sat behind an enormous desk made of mahogany with silver trimmings. The warmth and light of the previous memory was noticeably absent, and in its stead was icy anger.

"You're asking about your father," Hiashi clarified. Naruto was apparently filled with rage and disgust, because that was how Sakura and Sasuke both felt as they stood behind Naruto, looking at Hiashi. They were still not used to the way they suddenly experienced Naruto's emotions.

"Where is he?" Naruto's voice was surprisingly cool and calm. Hiashi let out a little laugh.

"How should I know? My soldiers were told to…_dispose _of him. Really, Uzumaki, this nonsense about your parents is getting ridiculous. We can't keep on like this if you're going to lead my army. Please forget about it…" he trailed off. "Another thing you will forget about is my daughter. If you continue to soil her reputation this way, you'll go the same way as your pathetic parents."

The only indication they had that Naruto had heard what Hiashi said was that they were overpowered by a feeling of hatred. Naruto remained calm and collected.

"Then why don't you just execute me right now?"

Hiashi's lip curled.

"Oh, you're still _useful. _It looks wonderful to have a Milian orphan leading my army, and you're the most talented mercenary I've ever seen…it's a wonder you aren't of Hyuuga descent. Though I suppose a child of Namikaze descent is no small thing," Hiashi mused, gazing at Naruto with clinical interest, as though he were a medical subject behind glass.

Hiashi's office disappeared and now they were in a dark cave lit by a torch.

"We'll make it mean something good, something wonderful," came Hinata's whispery voice. They stood together in this cave, carving something on the wall. "It'll become a symbol of peace and acceptance."

"I like it," Naruto replied with his classic grin, and rested his hand over Hinata's as they drove into the stone, engraving something. Then Hinata drew in a deep breath and reached into her long midnight blue cloak, slipping something tiny out of it. It was the pendant.

"Listen to me," she began urgently. "This was my mother's, passed down to me to give to whoever has my heart forever. Naruto, we may never be together in flesh, but you will always have me." She thrust the pendant at Naruto, its silver chain catching the torchlight briefly. Sakura and Sasuke were both overcome with an emotion they couldn't describe. Perhaps it was many emotions together. They watched as Naruto took it, closed his hand around it.

"This has been passed down to every Hyuuga empress, right?" he asked. Hinata nodded.

"The recipient returns it when the emperor dies, or when a new emperor succeeds him."

"Hinata, I'm honored to receive this, but I want to end this Hyuuga empire and all of the archaic traditions that go with it."

Hinata smiled; she clearly knew what he meant to do, and together they carved the spiked symbol onto the silver pendant.

Sakura cried out in understanding, but now they were swaying with the sea on a boat. Naruto was on the ground, a long sword pressed against his throat. Something glinted on a chain in the sunlight and they realized he was still wearing the pendant.

"Look guys, I'm really sorry, I just was trying to hitch a ride-" Naruto began with his most winning smile, holding his hands up, but these men were not having any of it. When Sasuke looked closer at who was holding Naruto captive, his jaw dropped.

"It's Sasori," he said. Sakura gasped. Indeed, Sasori was pressing the tip of the blade against Naruto's prominent adam's apple, his face an emotionless mask. A band of followers stood behind him, ready to pounce at Sasori's command. Without warning, Sasori pulled back as though ready to stab, and Naruto rolled over with startling speed just as the blade slammed into the wooden floorboards.

"What the hell! I thought we were friends!" Naruto yelled, barely missing Sasori's sword yet again. In his haste, Sasori managed to hit the chain, and as a particularly high wave rocked the ship, the necklace went flying overboard. Sasuke nearly choked; it was all fitting together.

"It floated to Gaulin Academy, where you found it," Sakura confirmed. They heard Naruto cry out, diving after the pendant, and was sent flying overboard and into the tumultuous waves.

Suddenly, a peculiar swooping sensation hit them, and then the boat was gone and they were both panting and sitting in the grove of trees again. The flower's petals curled in and the Memoralia sphere sat between them again.

"That…"

"Did Naruto plant that in our apartment-"

"SAI!" They both cried in realization at the same time.

"That was why he was in our apartment!"

"And I read that when memories are forcibly stolen, they're really fragmented," Sakura added. "So he must have stolen them from Naruto somehow."

"He must have wanted to show us that stuff for a reason," Sasuke said, leaning back against a tree trunk and wiping perspiration from his brow.

They stared at each other, still breathless from what they had seen and the way the puzzle was fitting together now.

"We have to go ask him," Sakura decided, already standing up somewhat shakily. "We need to find out if he was really the one who put them there, and if he was, _why?_"

They sprinted back to the academy, ignoring all greetings and attempts at conversation from instructors and students alike, and, panting, finally found Sai in the hangar. It looked like he was working on his hovercycle.

"SAI!" Sakura cried out, but something like horror passed over Sai's face and wordlessly he hopped on the hovercycle, speeding out of the hangar before anyone could stop him. Neji stood there, staring at them in shock.

"What the hell-"

"We'll explain later-" Sakura began, but Sasuke shook his head.

"You're coming with us," he ordered, tossing Neji a spare hoverboard. They all mounted their boards and zoomed out of the hangar, but something halted Sakura abruptly just as they left the jurisdiction of the academy and sped over the ocean. A searing pain ripped through her abdomen, blindingly painful and sending her plummeting to the watery depths below.


	24. 21: Lurelucerna

Isekai

Author's Note: So, as bibsa1 asked, I intend to draw a map of the Isekai world for you guys to clarify the scale and position of the countries. Hopefully I'll have that done by the time I post the next chapter. This chapter was wrestled with a lot, and thanks to my amazing beta, WingedMercury, here it is. I hope you guys enjoy it; I had originally intended to not reveal the thing that is revealed at the end of this chapter until MUCH later, but the plotbunnies were wandering quite a bit.

Also, a quick apology about the author's note about PMs from a few chapters ago. I really regret snapping like that.

And finally, a lot of people have commented on Sasuke's character development recently. I admit I really struggle with this. The way I see Sasuke is as a temperamental kind of guy who is ambitious and insecure…but also, an inherently good person in a way that is easily masked. I feel like he has a lot of integrity buried beneath his many flaws. But as a writer, how can you portray someone who is entirely non-static as a person whose change is in a given direction? One minute he sees himself for who he is, the next he's back to his usual arrogant self. It doesn't make for a linear development. Still, I know a lot of you see Sasuke differently-and that's fine, and your views are probably closer to the truth than mine. I guess I see him as someone whose moods and feelings come and go with the sun… in direct opposition with Sakura, who holds onto feelings for a long time (see: her crush on Sasuke, her long-standing rivalry with Ino, etc). Any alternative views are welcome; I'd love to hear different points of view and I think it'd really improve my writing of their characters.

Chapter Twenty One: Lurelucerna

As they swept northwards up the rocky coastline of Gaulin, icy wind tore at Sasuke's skin. Finally, Sasuke realized they were coming upon Kalaia territory, and Sai's hovercycle was losing power. Its movements seemed jerkier and Sai's posture was rigid and fraught with tension. _Finally. _Doing some quick mental calculations, Sasuke decided he'd head off Sai on Kalaia's rocky shoreline. They were coming upon a series of rocks that jutted out towards the sea, and it seemed like the perfect place to corner the other man….But the moment Sai hit the surf, he jumped upward and off his hovercycle, sending it crashing into the rocks. Sai sprinted towards the city gates and Sasuke followed suit. As he jumped, he landed among the rocks and his comm was knocked out of his pocket and sent flying. _Whatever, I'll get it later. _He didn't want to risk losing Sai. Thus he continued running at top speed, unaware that two things had fallen out of his pocket: his comm device, and his gun, the only weapon he had been carrying.

* * *

"SAKURA!" Neji's voice rang out through the chilly evening air. Just as he screamed, Sakura's limp body broke the surface of the sea and she plunged downward, her rogue hoverboard zooming off in a random direction. She choked on the salty sea water as it filled her lungs and she dimly wondered what kind of sea creatures might inhabit these waters. She tried to expel the water from her lungs, but the pain in her abdomen, centered right around where she had been stabbed by Hanabi, made it difficult to think strategically. She registered strong fingers wrapping around her ankle and pulling, but all the strong fingers managed to do was pull off her combat boot instead. She saw it floating away at the same time that she saw pairs of yellow, glowing eyes suddenly beginning to surround her. She cried out soundlessly, but the hand properly gripped her ankle this time and suddenly she shot upward, away from the eyes and up to breach the surface.

Neji was hauling her out of the water, kneeling on his hoverboard and trying to drag her onto it. She tried to help but the pain and shock rendered her nearly immobile. Luckily Neji was strong and soon they had hit the surf, both gasping for air and kneeling in the wet sand. Water shot forth from Sakura and she remained in a kneeling position long after the water had stopped coming up.

"What…the…hell," Neji panted. Sakura's limbs trembled from the cold and the pain. "Sakura, _answer me." _

"Pain…Hanabi," she groaned, using one hand to brace herself as the other clutched at her stomach. Neji bent down next to her, gripping her shoulder a little too hard.

"What about Hanabi? Did she do something? What's going on?"

"Where she stabbed me…" Sakura grunted, finally resting back on her heels. "I think it didn't heal properly." she applied pressure to the spot as Neji exhaled.

"Okay. Come on, I'll take you to Shizune," he said as he stood a bit shakily. He held out a hand to her but she shook her head.

"I can walk, thanks." As she spoke, she had a particularly damning spasm of pain and Neji narrowed his eyes at her.

"Sakura, I get it-you're a tough, independent girl. But if I had just fallen twenty feet into the ocean, I myself wouldn't mind a little help walking. You might have broken something, actually. Now, either you let me help you, or I'm leaving your sorry feminist ass on this beach."

Sakura rolled her eyes but couldn't fight a smile. She accepted his hand and he swung her up into his arms bridal-style, and carried her back to the infirmary, grumbling the whole way about how she was going to have to go on a diet if he was expected to carry her ever again.

* * *

The streets of Kalaia were mostly empty, as usual. Sai had knocked out both of the guards at the gate with ease, which gave him quicker access to the city but also paved the way for Sasuke. Sasuke was a fast runner, but Sai was quick to evade. _If only I had my chakra here…._ It would have been a piece of cake catching Sai with chakra, let alone the sharingan.

Sai disappeared round a corner and Sasuke wondered if he had had anything to do with the radio tower. _But…it doesn't make any sense…does it? _His lungs began to burn from oxygen deprivation. He realized Sakura and Neji weren't behind him; he really could have used their help right now. Somewhere up ahead, Sai ducked into a building, and without a second thought, Sasuke followed him in.

This proved to be a bad idea. The minute he stepped inside the door, he was falling through pitch-black. He let out a yell of surprise, Sai's similar cry still echoing as he fell. He landed on something hard and wet, and the first thing he saw was blinding white as his entire body screamed in pain. Everything hurt and for a moment it felt like he had broken every bone in his body. After a few moments he could stand and, on shaking legs, he gripped at the wall as he followed its contour. There was meager light here; he seemed to be in a tunnel of some sort. The stone walls dripped with brackish water. His ears registered the sound of footsteps fading and he forgot his pain as he returned to the chase.

"Sai!" he called out, his voice bouncing off the walls around him. He regretted doing this because it blocked out the sound of Sai's footfalls, but it seemed as though going straight were the only option anyway.

Soon he came to what appeared to be a dead end, but as soon as he arrived, there was a metallic clanging sound and he was trapped in this tiny room with Sai.

"Damn," Sai swore.

Sasuke seethed, "Damn is right. Where the fuck are we?"

Sai didn't bother to answer; he was too busy pawing at the walls, as though trying to find a way out. Behind them, bars had come from the ceiling, creating a jail cell. As he stood there, catching his breath and waiting for a brilliant idea to come to him, he registered a faint scurrying sound. _Rats. _His stomach lurched as he walked towards Sai and gripped him by the scruff of his neck, turning him to face him.

"I don't know where we are," Sai admitted, wrenching out of his grasp and shoving away from him. "I just chose that door randomly."

"Real convenient," Sasuke snarled, but Sai rolled his eyes.

"If I had done this on purpose, do you really think I'd lock _myself _in here? And if I were trying to keep up a false pretense, don't you think I would have dropped it by now?"

He had nothing to say to that. Sasuke exhaled and wiped at his brow. Perspiration and grime from this strange dungeon had plastered his hair and clothing to his skin uncomfortably.

"Get your comm out and call the academy," Sasuke ordered. Sai held up his comm.

"No signal," he retorted flatly.

Just as he moved to put it away, a loud bang fired out of seemingly nowhere and the comm flew out of Sai's hands, simultaneously shattering. The bullet hit the stone wall behind him and bits of rock crumbled to the ground. Both men gasped and turned to find a masked figure standing from behind the bars, holding a gun. Sasuke reached for his gun but was horrified to find it was gone.

"Looks like you're shit out of luck, idiots," said a sneering voice.

* * *

"Pregnant?" Sakura screeched, jumping up and nearly knocking over the cart of medical tools that stood next to Shizune.

"Pregnant," replied Shizune, apparently unfazed by Sakura's outburst. "You're right, the pain was from unhealed tissue leftover from that stab wound. But I think a more pressing issue is that you're pregnant, and that stab wound could have nearly killed your child. I can't believe I didn't catch this when you first were stabbed…though you couldn't have been more than two weeks along, I'm guessing."

In a state of shock, Sakura mechanically sat back on the hospital bed, her jaw slack and her eyes wide. Neji remained stock-still, as though if he moved she'd sense it and attack. "This…wasn't planned," Shizune confirmed. Sakura shook her head. Her blood was pounding in her ears, and the only thing she could think was: _where's Sasuke? _"You didn't notice _any _symptoms? No morning sickness, no tenderness in your breasts? Didn't you notice you didn't have your period?"

At the mention of breasts, Neji gagged and Shizune kicked backwards and into his shin, earning a cry of pain from the Hyuuga. Sakura barely noticed. _Where is Sasuke? He should be finding this out with me. Why isn't he here? ….Why does it feel like Neji is more of a husband than Sasuke?_

Shizune gave Sakura a nutrient-enhanced drink and left her alone soon after, saying she could stay overnight in the infirmary. Neji left to try and track down Sasuke, leaving her alone for a few hours.

She stared out at the night sky. _Pregnant? How did I not notice that? _She felt like a failure as a woman, and the fact that Sasuke remained absent hurt more than she could put words to. As she tried to pick out familiar constellations (and found none) worry set in. Sasuke would have returned by now. What if something had happened? Hope sparked within her, and the dark thoughts crept backward, in the likeness of darkness rushing back from candlelight. Yet it was tainted hope, for if he wasn't here because something had happened, then he was hurt.

Neji came back in, his mouth set in a grimace.

"Bad news…no one's seen or heard from Sasuke. I called his comm when you fell, but he didn't pick up and I didn't think about it. But now we've tried again, and haven't gotten an answer." He hesitated. "We tracked the location and…" he swallowed, "…it looks like it's stationed on the coast of Kalaia. It isn't moving, but he isn't picking up."

"We're going to Kalaia," Sakura began, already sitting up, but Neji darted over and pushed her back down.

"Sakura, I already sent a couple of cadets there. They'll get there soon and they can look for him. If he isn't there, _then _we'll go."

Her hands shook with rising panic.

"We have to find him. We can't not find him. Let me up-" she cried, wrestling with Neji, but he held her pinned securely against her pillow.

"Don't be an idiot. Calm down and don't panic until the cadets come back with bad news," he ordered. Sakura let out a sigh, relaxing slightly, but as she did, tears slipped down her cheeks. Neji rolled his eyes. "Don't go all emotional-pregnant-woman on me now," he said, though there was a slight hitch in his words.

"S-sorry," Sakura stammered, rubbing away her tears angrily. "I just got some terrifying news and Sasuke isn't even here," she choked. Neji pressed his lips together.

"Funny how he never is, is he?"

* * *

Neji's words had left her feeling unsettled; too unsettled to sleep. Around midnight, the cadets reported back. They'd found a smashed hoverboard and hovercycle, and Sasuke's comm and gun discarded amongst the rocks on the surf of Kalaia's coast.

"Okay, _now_ you can panic," Neji said grimly as he and Sakura strode down the halls to the hangar. Rin had outfitted them with weapons; Neji carried his usual long katana as well as a handgun and some smoke bombs, and Sakura had slipped on a thigh-holster with knives and a pistol, as well as her brass knuckles. Her hands trembled with adrenaline and fear, so she fisted them shut.

"Panicking as ordered," she attempted to joke in a quavering voice. Neji's eyes slid to her as they grabbed hoverboards and boarded them, preparing to set out.

"You know, Shikamaru wouldn't have disappeared like this," he pointed out after they had set off. Sakura glowered up at him.

"This is _not_ the time, asshole," she snapped. It felt like her heart had wedged itself into her voicebox; she kept recalling all of the instances that Sasuke had abandoned her. _This isn't one of those times. Something's happened. _But by virtue of getting hurt, Sasuke had inadvertently abandoned her. If he died, she'd be alone in this world, and the fear that had stayed with her through all of her time in Konoha set in. The fear that Sasuke was dead, and now she'd have to live in a world without him in it. She'd forgotten how heavy that fear had been, how the dead-weight of it had dragged her down daily, haunting her nightmares and shadowing her eyes during daylight. _A world without Sasuke…_for all of his bad qualities, she couldn't bear to think of living, knowing for certain that he was gone. She'd held onto hope that he was alive, but it was tentative, quiet hope. Now that she was reacquainted with that feeling, she couldn't believe she had existed for _years _carrying such fear and pain, suspended so pendulously by tiny, flickering, barely sparking hope.

It was even worse now that she was pregnant. A sob wracked her body as they zoomed over dark countryside; she pressed her hand to her mouth to quell it. She didn't need any more comments from Neji on Sasuke's character and how it affected her. Still, tears slipped down her cheeks and then flew off and into the night.

"I promise this has nothing to do with your relationship with Sasuke," Neji began, yelling over the rushing of the night air, "but don't you think that maybe we should ask Shikamaru for help? We're going north anyway, and if there's anyone who could help right now, it'd be him."

She didn't want to admit he was right. They slowed to a stop, hovering over a little town, their clothing soaked from the low-hanging clouds.

"You're right," she agreed grudgingly, "but if you drop any hints-and you know what I mean-I'll beat you from here to next millennium," she warned, scowling. Neji scoffed.

"It's not like I haven't experienced your wrath before…but I promise, I won't drop any hints," he promised with a sigh.

They changed direction slightly. Shikamaru's lab was east of Kalaia by a few clicks, and soon they came upon the salt flats. They were even more disorienting at night, as they reflected the dark sky, and Sakura and Neji both had trouble keeping their balance and direction as they flew over the flats. They found the glass tunnels, which glittered slightly even at night, and descended, sure to keep their boards with them.

* * *

Sasuke knew from extensive experience that when shut in a cave it was important to keep his cool rather than demand answers. He strode up to the bars calmly, which seemed to surprise their captor. It appeared to be a woman-a tall woman, not too curvy-but they were masked so it was difficult to tell. Her voice was icy and over-confident sounding.

"What do you want?" he asked, wrapping his fingers around the bars. His heart was pounding frantically against his ribs but on the outside he looked cool and collected.

"You'll find out in due time. I can't believe the infamous Sai was so easy to lure with a simple lurelucerna," the woman said with a girlish giggle that so starkly contrasted with her appearance that the effect was sinister. She held up a tiny white glowing object that seemed to light up the entire cell, and almost automatically he heard Sai's footsteps drawing towards the bars.

"Those are banned," Sai said sharply, though he couldn't resist trying to reach his arm through the bars, his eyes wide and greedy as he gazed at the white light.

"You know, I'm pretty sure underground dungeons in houses are banned too, but here we are," Sasuke said sarcastically. Sai hardly seemed to notice or care about his words, totally and rapturously fixated on the glowing object. The woman put it away and darkness stole around them once more. Sai dropped his hand, apparently returning to his senses.

"Too easy," she said shortly. "And here I thought you were famous for being able to evade these kinds of things. But, alas…" she began backing away. "You'll be getting some company soon enough. Remember to play nice, boys," she added before turning and seeming to disappear into thin air.

"Lureluc-oh fuck it, whatever that thing was….what is it?" Sasuke hissed as soon as he felt that they were alone. Sai turned away, crossing his arms and looking down.

"Lurelucernas. They lure whoever the owner wants straight to the owner. Unless the victim is on the other side of the world, they can't fight the powerful lure and will do anything barring death to get to the lurelucerna. Another invention straight from the laboratory of your ancestor, Madara Uchiha. They've been banned for longer than we've been alive; that's why you don't know about them. The Uchiha lineage is also quick to cover up undesirable offshoots, and I believe Madara Uchiha is quite undesirable to them."

At the mention of Madara's name, Sasuke became nauseated with unexpressed anger towards the man.

"Any idea of why they want you? Have anything to do with the memories you stole from President Uzumaki, perhaps?" Sai was silent. "Well?"

But before Sai could answer, a sickening slithering sound filled the cell. It was too dark to tell what was creating the sound, and instinctively Sasuke backed up and against the wall. Something wet and scaled coiled itself around him.

"Snakes," Sai said in a strangled voice. "They're snakes."

There was a clicking sound as though something was being slid down a pulley and suddenly blue light filled their cell. It was coming from something that had been suspended in the air from the ceiling, which had to be far up because when Sasuke looked up, all he saw was pitch black. The thing being suspended looked like an apparition, though it hung from chains much the same way a human body of flesh and bone might hang, its head grotesquely lilting to the side, its eyes wide and lifeless. It was the form of a woman, and suddenly Sasuke recognized who it was.

It was Kushina Uzumaki, Naruto's mother.


	25. 22: The Serpent and the Flower

Isekai

Author's Note: Thanks so much to WingedMercury for beta-ing this TWICE. She is my savior and catches all of the many, many idiotic mistakes I make as well as pointing out plotholes and giving really helpful suggestions. I am so lucky to have her as a beta, and I encourage you all to read her popular story "Ain't Nobody Can Sing Like Me." It's funny and witty and the characters are IC.

Also thanks to blade-redwind for a wonderful critique and rec of this on their livejournal! *blushes* I'm so honored!

And, as usual, thanks to all of my wonderful, incredible reviewers. Y'all make the world go round!

Chapter Twenty Two: The Serpent and The Flower

The thing Hinata had always found most curious about the palace she had called home was that it never quite seemed to go to sleep. At any given hour, maids could be found bustling from one end to the other of the palace, changing sheets and towels and scrubbing unseen spots from corridors. The kitchen was always bubbling and brewing things; lately, her favorite chef, Chouji Akimichi, was always up at strange hours tasting and testing his latest creations. But the thing that truly never slept was her father: Emperor Hiashi.

It had been three in the morning when she'd crept by the enormous room he called his office. He'd been pacing, as usual, his boots clicking along the marble floor. Hinata had always found the decor of the office heartless and uninviting, with its impossibly high ceiling, narrow windows, marble floor and pale mint walls. Beautiful but soulless, just like the Hyuuga themselves. She waited, watching him pace through the crack in the carved door. At first she thought he might be speaking to himself, for he was talking in such a low voice, looking down at his shoes. Then she heard it: a soft voice, high but definitively masculine in a way she couldn't quite pinpoint, speaking to Hiashi.

"Your daughter's activity has been confirmed, Hiashi. If you crown her, you'll lose all power. You can try to play her as your marionette, but I think she is more than equipped to resist any attempts you throw her way."

Hiashi looked up, startled. "Hinata? Never. Hinata's too quiet, she has no backbone. She's as dangerous as a newborn kitten…" he waved his hand at his companion, which earned a laugh from the other man.

"Hinata is as much of a newborn kitten as I am, Hiashi," the other man replied, his voice dripping with disdain. He evidently found Hiashi foolish. Hiashi seemed to pick up on this, for he scrunched his face into a rather ugly scowl.

"Don't act like you know my daughter, Ennir," he threatened cruelly.

"It doesn't matter. The facts add up, and if you crown her, you'll lose everything. Better to play it like you can't find an appropriate suitor," said Ennir curtly. "Or Hanabi can remove Hinata entirely; she certainly seems keen on it." Hinata clapped her hand to her mouth to cover her gasp and watched as Hiashi's back straightened in apparent fear. The other man swayed into view. He was strolling about Hiashi's office, toying with different objects. Hinata had never seen her father afraid of a person before, but he was clearly afraid of Ennir.

Somehow, Ennir wasn't what she had been expecting. His untidy flaming hair was just short of covering his brow and eyes, which were the color of white wine. His skin was pale and entirely unlined, like porcelain. He was shorter than Hiashi and skinny enough to be just short of being 'runty.' Yet still he struck a more imposing figure than Hiashi. Hiashi was tall, broad-shouldered but elegant, with the classic square Hyuuga jaw, opalescent eyes, and thick dark hair which gleamed even in the meager light, falling pin-straight to his waist. He was wearing simple black robes that buttoned up the side with black silk covered buttons, and when he paced, they swished impressively. Ennir, on the other hand, looked like he might have rolled out of bed in his black short-sleeved undershirt, loose black pants, and undone black boots. But there was a certain energy in him, a certain electricity in his eyes that commanded attention.

"I trust Hanabi has been an excellent addition to your team," responded Hiashi levelly. He seemed to have regained some of his classic composure, though a muscle near his jaw twitched. Ennir scoffed.

"She's nearly as pathetic as you, _emperor_. She so desperately wants your undying devotion, which you soundly refuse her. And yet, though Hinata betrays you, you continue to shower her with love and affection. Why is that?" Ennir's voice was silky as he picked up a silver-encased frame that Hinata knew held a photo of her mother; Hiashi looked like he might be sick. "Could it be because your wife, the only person you ever loved, died in childbirth? You can never accept Hanabi because she represents the death of-"

"That's quite enough, Ennir," Hiashi said sharply. There was the slightest tremor to his voice. "Speak of that again and I will-"

"You'll what, Hiashi, kill me? I invite you to try," Ennir mocked him. "But I daresay you'll find that unlike Minato, Yahiko, Konan, and all the others…._I _cannot be killed so easily."

"You're human, just like they were," Hiashi retorted, baring his teeth in a cold grin at the other man. Ennir was unshaken.

"Well…not quite, Hiashi," he said with a grin. "And now, I expect you'll choose wisely. Never underestimate the quiet ones…You'll always regret it in the end. Oh, and you should know: Naruto Uzumaki is not half as foolhardy as his father was, and is more cunning than perhaps even the elder Uchiha boy. It will be impossible for _you_ to get rid of him, and for me, it would be a job I should prefer to not take on, lest I lose."

On those foreboding words, Ennir retrieved something that turned out to be a long black cloak, and slung it around his slim form. Hinata ducked back just in time to escape to the darkness of the hall before she could be discovered; Ennir burst out of Hiashi's office, a grim hooded figure, like Death himself, and seemed to melt into the shadows of the palace. Hiashi stood in his office, shoulders slumped. In his misconception that he was alone, he allowed himself to show his true colors: a scared, perhaps defeated man. Something twisted in Hinata's gut and she backed away, away from her father's office. Ennir's words unsettled her; how had he known her plans?

Should Hiashi decide to follow Ennir's advice, she knew she was in grave danger…even worse was that Naruto was in danger as well, much more than he had ever been before. _Naruto…_pressing her hand to her heart, Hinata hastened back to her room. She'd been waiting, seeking the perfect time to act, and now she couldn't deny that the perfect time had presented itself. Hiashi disliked following others' advice, but now it was unlikely he'd give her free reign…in fact, she would be a puppet, and that would put her original plan to the dogs. _You've been waiting, _she told herself, _now is your time to act. _Throwing some things in a bag, the princess put on plainclothes and a mask, and stole off into the night.

* * *

"So basically, Sasuke and Sai have completely vanished into thin air, with absolutely no witnesses, and the only clue is that it's _unlikely_ that they left Kalaia…though still quite possible," confirmed Shikamaru. It was quite late now and Sakura and Neji had spent the better part of an hour explaining everything to Shikamaru: the Memoralia sphere, chasing Sai, Sasuke and Sai's mysterious disappearance, and the evidence the two men had left behind. Shikamaru leaned against his desk, his arms crossed, his cigarette perched on his lower lip in a way that Sakura found distractingly intriguing.

"…That's about it," Sakura agreed with a shrug. They'd glossed over why she'd fallen, pinning it down to merely unhealed tissue, but Shikamaru's dark eyes kept flicking back to her, looking suspicious and unsatisfied with her answers. Heaving a deep, long-suffering sigh, Shikamaru pushed himself from his desk and gestured for Neji and Sakura to follow.

"I have a base in Kalaia; we can set up there for the night. I'll send a message to Itachi about where we are, and they can continue to search from the base. It's not the fastest thing, but it's the best we've got. I don't like this, guys," he was saying as he led them to a strange hole in the wall; abysmal darkness just beyond the aperture. He pressed in a combination on a keypad and with a somewhat grotesque sucking sound, a hemispherical cart arrived at the mouth, its underside revolving curiously as it spun to a stop. Shikamaru clambered aboard and they followed suit, and soon they were traveling nauseatingly fast in this cramped tube, making frequent hairpin turns and lurching into abrupt drops or rises. Sakura clenched her eyes shut and felt someone's hand on her back; somehow she instinctively knew it was Shikamaru and while she knew she shouldn't have allowed it, she pretended to not notice it. The contact was a comfort as her stomach tried to catch up with the cart.

Suddenly they were shot out of another opening and landed ungracefully on a cold, hard floor. The room was lit by fluorescent lighting and was low-ceilinged and furnitureless. "Okay, so maybe we need to fine-tune the Dervishcar." Shikamaru gave them a somewhat halfhearted thumbs-up, looking green about the gills. Sakura covered her mouth, afraid she might throw up; Neji suggested an anatomically unlikely place of where Shikamaru could stick his 'damn Dervishcar.' "We're underneath the Kalaia Hotel; we can take rooms upstairs for tonight and resume the search after we've all had a nap and some food."

Sakura began to protest, but Neji shot her a threatening look.

"You're in no condition to be pushing yourself, idiot," he said, scowling, as they followed Shikamaru into an elevator that did not match the decor of the basement at all. It was brass and creaked upward; designs had been welded around each bar, creating warm brassy foliage. The ceiling of the elevator was coffered brass with leaves and flowers punched into each coffer. As they rose, the first floor of the hotel came into view, and then disappeared. Sakura got a glimpse of marble, warm golden light, and crystal before they rose to the second, then third, then fourth, and finally the fifth floor. Plush red carpeting that looked like it had seen better days and glimmering wallpaper that was beginning to fade and peel greeted them. On each wall in between each pair of doors were brass and crystal sconces.

"It…must have been quite the place to stay in its day," Sakura said finally as a pleasant musical trilling was heard and the bars slid aside. Shikamaru chuckled, leading them to the end of the hall.

"It's a nice setup. Room service and huge rooms for my lab, constant influx of Fleurian currency for the hotel. I think they get the better end of the deal, but this is pretty sweet for me. Look, I get the master suite." He unlocked a wooden door with white and gold trim and held it open just long enough for them to take in the decor: a four poster canopy bed, mirrors and more brass and crystal, and a sliver of the view of the bathroom. "Nice, eh? You guys can take the room across from me and alternate naps." He unlocked the door across the hall to show a similar room. Without hesitation, Neji shoved Sakura in.

"No! I'm going to help find Sasuke-" Sakura began wildly, trying to push her way out of the room, but Neji and Shikamaru both barred her from leaving.

"No way. Take an hour nap. I'll call room service, and once you've had a square meal and your vitals have been taken, _then_ you can help search. You were unconscious for it, but I carried your fat ass all the way up to the hospital wing, and _believe me,_ it's not something I plan on doing again. Besides…don't forget what Shizune said," ordered Neji, casting her a meaningful look that she had the bad feeling Shikamaru had also seen and possibly interpreted. She sighed. Neji was right; she wasn't supposed to be pushing herself (or else she'd lose the child). Her eyes were also beginning to ache with the past several sleepless nights. Suddenly she noticed how heavy her body felt, how weighed down and exhausted she truly was.

"_Fine. _But I'm getting up in an hour," she warned them. Shikamaru gave his usual chuckle and Neji muttered something about 'damn women' before she turned and they locked the door. She heard them muttering in low voices, but she couldn't bring herself to care enough to try to listen. The intense emotions she had felt, the fact that she was likely Sasuke-less forever, and the fact that she was pregnant and still, at least emotionally, a virgin, overwhelmed her. She dropped onto the bed, too tired to even cry.

She woke up later, how much later she wasn't sure, to the feeling of fingertips against her forehead, like they were brushing away her hair. She groaned and scrunched her eyes shut more tightly before opening them to find Shikamaru sitting on the edge of her bed. He was looking out the window whilst absently stroking her forehead, the smoke from his cigarette beginning to make a stain on the papered ceiling. Pale light -perhaps it was dawn-cast his features in high relief. He didn't appear know she was awake, and she took a moment to take in her surroundings. She remembered falling asleep on top of the covers, but now she was underneath them, lying on her side. In the corner on a carved wooden chair, her boots and topjacket sat neatly on the cushion. He must have taken them off of her, she thought, feeling heat rush to her cheeks. A tray with some food and a pot of what was probably coffee or tea sat on a little table beneath the enormous windows, steam pouring out of the spout much like Shikamaru's cigarette.

"You're awake," Shikamaru said, glancing over his shoulder at her. Sakura made no move; it was such a strangely familiar feeling to be like this with Shikamaru, and her heart writhed painfully in her chest. Was it possible for your body to remember things that your mind had never experienced? She had the same _brain _and body as this world's Sakura, but her mind was different. How was it possible? How was she able to feel like she had woken up next to Shikamaru countless times before in her life?

She cast those philosophical wonderings aside, noting how _tired _Shikamaru looked. He looked beaten; downtrodden.

"I'm pregnant," she croaked, her voice quite hoarse. Shikamaru resumed staring out the window and nodded slowly.

"Hyuuga told me."

He looked miserable and she felt miserable. Everything was wrong, like the world had shifted one place over from where it ought to be, and she felt tense and uneasy. She had no idea of how to put anything right, because it was all wrong, all of it. The tension between her and Shikamaru felt alien and weird. It would have felt more natural to be friendly, or to indulge in the romantic history between them. This anger and awkwardness was wrong.

"Any word?" she finally asked, sitting up, the covers falling away. Her voice was beginning to clear a bit; Shikamaru dropped his hand away from her forehead and looked over at her again.

"Nothing."

"Shikamaru-" she began awkwardly. She looked down, toying with the edge of the blanket. Shikamaru sighed.

"Whatever it is…I don't want to hear it. You always have your apologies, and I'm just not interested, Sakura." He sounded so tired and so disdainful that she wanted to curl up in on herself.

"I wasn't going to apologize. I was going to ask if you'd be the baby's godfather," she whispered in a little voice. Shikamaru's gaze snapped back to her again, his eyes wider.

"Not Hyuuga?"

"…He can be the godmother," she said with a wry grin, and there was some spark of warmth in Shikamaru's dark eyes. Suddenly, he had raised his hand to grasp her shoulder, and because she only had her tanktop on underneath her uniform, the contact was skin-to-skin. Something twingded in the pit of her stomach, perhaps lower.

"We don't have to do this anymore," he said softly, his eyes smoldering. "We can stop pretending. I'll forgive you for what happened with Uchiha; I don't even care that the kid isn't mine. I just want you back." He raised his other hand and placed it on the back of her head, and she found herself unable to look away from him as he drew her nearer. "It'll be a thing of the past," he continued. It was too tempting, to feel this kind of warmth and caring that she never felt from Sasuke. In her childhood crush's absence, she felt like she was falling, flailing. And it was this that felt even more wrong than anything else. She wanted comfort, she wanted someone to hold her, she wanted a kind of love that Sasuke could not provide for her. He was too broken, too selfish, too…cold. But Shikamaru was a normal guy. He was still capable of caring for her. Kissing Sai, and allowing Sebastien to dance with her…these things were all proof. She couldn't commit herself to Sasuke because she needed something he couldn't give…and he didn't want anything from her in the end. He'd accept her affection and the stability, but in the end, didn't he turn away?

She leaned in and closed her eyes, pressing her lips against Shikamaru's…and waited. Nothing. His fingers became tangled in her hair, and he drew her tighter to him, twisting onto the bed.

_This will be better. I'm just scared for no reason,_ she told herself. As his tongue parted her lips, old memories that she hadn't examined for quite some time came to her. Using chakra to climb trees, and the pleasure she had felt when she had learned her chakra control bested both Sasuke's and Naruto's…and the look of jealousy in Sasuke's face. Then, at the chuunin exams, cutting her hair to win her fight and realizing that it _didn't matter _whether Sasuke liked her hair or not…then, giving every ounce of her life to becoming the best damn medic-nin there was after his betrayal…

Suddenly everything clicked into place. She was wrong. Sasuke did give her what she needed: the drive to propel herself forward, to change herself for the better. Every change in her life, both positive and negative, but especially positive, had been borne of something he had done. He wasn't going to ever really coddle her or baby her, or hold doors open for her or push in her chair…or stay awake watching her sleep and bring her food. But it wasn't what she _needed, _was it? Now that Shikamaru had brought her food and babied her, she felt weak, girlish, and was rudely reminded of the time she had spent trying to catch up to the boys of team seven. No, sweet nothings wre not what she needed. Sasuke was what she needed, because it was Sasuke that made her _act, _made her change herself. She didn't need someone who accepted her as she was, because then she'd never feel pressure to change herself, to improve.

Abruptly she pulled back from Shikamaru.

"This is wrong, and giving up on Sasuke so easily is not who I am," she said breathlessly. Shikamaru's expression had darkened. "I still want you to be the baby's godfather, and I appreciate how much you've cared for me…but I need to go find my husband now. I'm sorry for giving you the wrong idea."

Without waiting for him to answer, she stumbled out of the bed and yanked on her boots and ran to find Neji.

* * *

Kushina's limp ghost had been hanging there for quite some time before Sasuke or Sai recovered from the shock. She was transparent, so it couldn't possibly be an actual body, and as she'd been dead for at least fifteen years now, her body would have been at least partially decayed by now. But to see a ghost was enough to send Sasuke's mind for a spin, so he concentrated on the live manacles that enchained them.

"Sai, no way are these real snakes," he said finally, squinting and using what little light Kushina's silvery form provided to examine them. They looked more like robotic snakes than anything else, and Sasuke was reminded of the spider robot that he had fought in Kalaia weeks ago. He happened to have a way with snakes (they were his summons creature, after all) but he had no flute to charm them and somehow he doubted that snake charming would apply to metal serpents.

"That makes everything better," Sai said, and Sasuke couldn't tell for the life of him if Sai was being sarcastic or not.

"We need to figure out why Kushina's ghost is here. Any ideas? You did plant the memoralia sphere, after all," Sasuke ordered, sending a glare at the other man. Kushina provided just enough light to reveal that Sai was grimacing at the ghostly form.

"That's not a ghost. I think it's a projection…and I am assuming that it's here for someone who'd be affected by it. My bet is they're luring President Uzumaki here. It might be a projection from a lurelucerna?"

Sasuke considered how he might feel if he were in Naruto's position. To come here and think he was seeing Mikoto's ghost…he felt he might be sick again and he sank down against the wall, feeling cold perspiration slide down his face.

"So…I suppose the question is, how does one go about destroying a lurelucerna?"

He heard Sai laugh before he spoke, "you _can't _destroy a lurelucerna…at least not easily. I hate to remind you, Uchiha, but we're tied up and weaponless. We don't even know where the actual lurelucerna _is._"

"Well, it can't be far," said Sasuke grimly. His gaze roved over the chains holding up Kushina's form. "How are those things made?"

"A lurelucerna represents someone's deepest wish. You find out something that the person you're trying to lure still wishes for desperately, and you get a piece of that thing…and then, there's a complicated chemical reaction. They're not easily made. I suppose they must have exhumed Kushina Uzumaki's body. At any rate, the idea is that a lurelucerna represents that last, tiny, flickering hope that the victim might still get that thing they so desire. For President Uzumaki, his deepest desire might be to see his mother again."

It was such a sick and disturbing concept to Sasuke, who had spent so many years wishing to see his family again more than anything. _But if I were to see them like this…_he looked up at the ghostly projection again and felt his eyes burn with the threat of tears. Angrily he blinked them away and drew in a deep breath.

"Okay, so they're born of hope. We need to destroy that hope somehow."

"A simple thing, really. Let's just go and tell President Uzumaki that there's no way he'll ever see his mother again then," said Sai shortly. Sasuke's eyes widened.

"So you _do_ know how to be sarcastic then!"

Silence filled their cell. Sasuke looked down at the snakes binding his wrists. His skin was beginning to burn where the snakes lay against it, and he tried to shake them, to reposition them in some way. But they only tightened, and the pain was becoming more and more uncomfortable. From across the room, he heard Sai moan in pain and slide down to the floor. Sasuke felt the same way; he wanted to lie down and give up. His body still ached from falling on the flagstone, and the wet grime was turning his stomach. The burning sensation from his wrists and legs was powerfully distracting. _But you know about working through pain, don't you? _a sly voice whispered in his head. _Remember Susanoo? Itachi's eyes? _

Suddenly he was glad for the pain to distract him from his own memories. He looked down at the snakes again, scooting closer to the projection to utilize the light better. The snakes seemed to be made of thousands of tiny metal scales that gleamed wetly. When he tried to pick at them, his nail caught on one of the pointed ends of one of the scales and was nearly ripped off. Swearing loudly, he began feeling the ground for where they might begin. They had to come from somewhere, right?

Just then, a metallic clanging sound-the sound of the bars being let up-broke the silence. Wet footsteps were distantly heard, and panic filled both Sai and Sasuke. It had to be Naruto, he thought to himself.

"Don't come any closer!" he called out, but something slithered up his face impossibly fast and gagged him. From the muffled grunting sound behind him he was sure the same thing had happened to Sai. Finally a shadowy figure slowed to a stop a few yards away from the mouth of the cell, standing stock-still.

"M-mom?" came a hoarse voice, and Sasuke fought with all his might against the snakes. If Naruto was captured, he somehow knew that this world was doomed. "What did they do…?" Naruto whispered, his boots slapping against the flagstone as he stepped closer. Sasuke tried to beat his manacles against the wall to catch Naruto's attention, but he knew it was too late. Sai himself had said this was a particularly powerful lurelucerna, and if he had been in Naruto's shoes, he would have been unable to simply turn away, lurelucerna or not.

Naruto walked forward, that same glimmer of rapturous hope that Sasuke had spotted in Sai's eyes. He stepped inside the cell, eyes wide and jaw slack, and just as he entered the cell, the bars hit the flagstone and he jumped, as though woken up from a daydream.

_Dammit. We're gagged so we can't even explain what's happened. _Sasuke watched helplessly as Naruto drew his sword, trying to fend off the snake-manacles, but of course, it was useless. Soon Naruto was pinned to the floor, chained and gagged, and now hopelessness settled on Sasuke. Kushina's ghost flickered and disappeared, and Naruto began fighting against his restraints wildly. Sasuke tried to spit out the gag and also fought against his manacles, and they tightened again, this time drawing blood with a searing, blinding pain.

Sasuke went limp against them momentarily, breathing in roughly through his nose. _Why can't these be real snakes? Then they'd let go of me, _he thought madly, and just as he thought it, the snakes loosened and dropped off of him. He waited, holding his breath, but it seemed as though Naruto and Sai remained bound by the snakes. Was this some new horror waiting to reveal itself? Did this mean he was the first to be executed or something? He waited for what seemed like ages, but nothing happened. _Might as well try to move,_ he decided, and raised his hand to take out his gag, which was incredibly uncomfortable. The snake holding onto that wrist fell away, instead slithering around his torso rather comfortably.

_It worked._ He ordered mentally the other snake to relinquish its hold, and it twined itself around his arm. _Let go of them,_ he though, rising, watching as Naruto and Sai looked at him sharply. The snakes relaxed and Naruto and Sai stood up wordlessly, rubbing at their wrists and staring at Sasuke in confusion.

"…What the _hell_ is going on!" Naruto demanded immediately. Sasuke shrugged.

"When the snakes drew blood they stopped binding me," he explained. Sai quirked an eyebrow and held up his left arm, which had blood streaming from it.

"They got me a while ago and they never let go of _me,_" he argued. Naruto's eyes widened suddenly.

"Of _course…_you're the youngest Uchiha!" he said, as though this made all the sense in the world. Sasuke blinked obtusely, but Sai seemed to be catching onto what Naruto was implying.

"The snake _was _Madara Uchiha's signature," said Sai calmly. He held up one of the snakes. "They must be using Madara Uchiha's technology. They got us with a lurelucerna, but I'm guessing they didn't count on taking Sasuke too…or they didn't realize Madara made Uchiha impervious to his gruesome inventions…"

"Go on, try commanding them again," Naruto encouraged. Bemused, Sasuke stared at the snakes that had dropped from Naruto and Sai. _Come to me…_ and they began slithering along the floor. He held out his hands, palms up, and they slithered up to his hands and wrapped themselves around him in a caressing manner. "That is so freaky," Naruto complained, shielding his eyes briefly. "How can you stand them on you?"

Sasuke grinned, feeling powerful for the first time since coming to this world. He hated Madara's guts, but he couldn't resist the pleasure of receiving a gift unique to the Uchiha.

"Let's just say I have a way with snakes."


End file.
